Life Is Strange Eternity War Episode 3 The Great Journey
by WickDaLine
Summary: Max has more questions than answers within the great journey that awaits her. The stakes between herself and her new adversaries get deeper throughout her next task to finding the remaining Eternity Shards and the Ark of Genesis to help Chrysalis win the war against ConDef. David has new missions of his own crossing paths with more old friends from Arcadia Bay.
1. If One Day I'm Just Out of Here

Previously on Life Is Strange: Eternity War…

"Rachel Amber," says Max. "LA's correspondent."

"Hey, Max," says the girl named Rachel. "Don't forget I'm also last year's model."

* * *

 _"For almost twenty years, we have been fighting for our very survival against inhuman, genocidal, quantum terrorist. But it is a fight we cannot continue."_

* * *

"What your seeing here is every historical figure ever existed who secretly belonged to the Herd of Whales," said Bryan. "It all began in 487 AD," said Bryan. "When King Arthur and his wizard, Merlin, stared down and vanquished the Saxon hordes on the island of Meridian Prime."

"It all began in 487 AD," said Bryan. "When King Arthur and his wizard, Merlin, stared down and vanquished the Saxon hordes on the island of Meridian Prime.

"Now legend held," he continued. "That one last traveler would someday be chosen and the struggle to save the world would begin. It would appear, Max, that last traveler is you."

* * *

"We've butt heads with terrorist once, I'd be obligated to do it again no matter how much our normal lives tried to keep us away from that. And I'd do it for family. Alex who is family. Long before Chloe and I ever were."

"How is Chloe cool with all this?"

* * *

If Continuum caves in and wipes out our last remaining strongholds, they'd be the largest terrorist force on the planet. Which is precisely what the herd wants. Setting up the superpowers to wipe each other out. Right now, the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East are under threat. CDF's making their move. Time for Chrysalis to step up."

* * *

"After four long years, your still Max Caulfield. So fearless. I wonder what you're really afraid of?"

* * *

"Your uncle…was the most brilliant student and historian I have ever met. We've accomplished so much together. Until I retired. Of all his discoveries, this could be his crowning achievement. 'No sacrifice, no victory'."

"Max, back at that mansion, we knew just as much about that stuff as that poor gentleman. This our chance to restart our lives. With a brand new ambition."

* * *

"The Loomis crusaders were searching for the same lost city a thousand years ago. But out of all the sites Ezra documented, only two are marked with these symbols. One in Italy, the other in Greece."

"I don't trust we can all go to these places together all at once. It's best if we boys and girls split up to these certain documented sites. Half of us in Italy, and the other half in Greece."

* * *

"Over the last seventy-two hours, our evac teams have extracted at least ninety percent of the population in San Fran while experiencing identical events. Bombings. Massive destruction. ConDef in origin."

"You all know what to do. Your mission is to retrieve Amber behind enemy lines, extract him to SF Spectre, and bring him back to the Oregon."

* * *

"David, is that really you?" James asked.

"In the flesh, James," I replied. "In the flesh."

"Senator Amber, Captain Cage," said the captain, introducing himself. "Fireteam Valor. Admiral Penske and Captain Harvest sent us rescue you and take you back to SF Spectre. We're you'll be taken back to the Oregon safe and sound."

* * *

"For those who prove worthy," I begin. "Paradise awaits. He – he was recruiting."

"Who was recruiting?"

"Ezra was recruiting."

"Recruiting for what?"

* * *

"Fun isn't something one considers when balancing the universe," replied Ares. "But this…does put a smile on my face."

* * *

Chapter 1 If One Day I'm Just Out of Here

Max – Age 17 (POV)

Alex – Age 20

November 3rd, 2012

8:07 AM

Seattle, Washington

Beacon Hill

 **Five years earlier…**

Up in the morning and out of the house for the weekend to hang out with Alex on a Saturday morning. Checking the PO box for my parents as always before leaving the house. And of all the times I've ever opened the box inspecting mail, none of it ever came from Chloe even after four years leaving her behind at her dad's funeral. Then again, I never sent mail to her either and she's probably been anticipating a letter or two from me in her PO box back home only to no avail. I'm not going to even make an excuse why not.

During the weekends, I get to downtown Seattle by public transportation train. I use Columbia City Station near my residential area on Beacon Hill to wait for my train with Alex where we always meet whenever we want to hang out in the city. Today we'd be strolling around Seattle to find something to do until the magic show we were going to tonight with Fernando and Kristen. Featuring the famous magician "Fredrick the Eccentric". Couldn't wait to go.

I take a walk down to Columbia Station in my own neighborhood to meet Alex there and wait for our train that would arrive at nine AM. I was a half-hour walk to the train station and a half-hour wait for my train to come once I was there. I stood there in the waiting aisle for the train to come and my half an hour was almost up. It was three till and Alex still hadn't shown up. I text Alex to hurry.

 **Max: Where the fuck r u?! Train is in 3 mins!**

 **Alex: I just arrived at the station! Hold on!**

I could see the train approaching the station on the tracks and still Alex was nowhere to be seen for someone who just got here. But as soon as the train came to a stop in front of me, there she was running down the aisle to catch her train with me as soon as she could. The doors to the train had opened to let passengers inside as we both enter and Alex barely makes it.

"Sorry I'm late cousin," said Alex. Catching her breath. "Overslept this morning."

"Like you've said last time you were late," I said.

Alex did have a habit of oversleeping on weekends. I like to sleep in too, but we had a busy day ahead of us. We step inside the train, find a seat, and the train leaves the station. Taking us to downtown Seattle on the tracks.

When sitting down on the train, we stare at the windows watching the train rail across town as we were seeing skyscrapers, billboards, cars, pedestrians, and houses on the ride to downtown. In a place like Seattle, it's impossible to never spot the Space Needle wherever you look. It's what I always admired about living here since I moved in.

While sitting down, the two of us wonder what to talk about and what we should do today before the magic show tonight. Maybe we could see what Fernando and Kristen were up to perhaps.

Alright, Max. You're on a freaking train with your own cousin Alex freaking Caulfield. Play it cool. Is this boredom? Is this what this feeling is? Wish Chloe was here. So I could ask. Maybe I should start with small talk or maybe stop acting like this is my first time talking to my own cousin who've I've been interacting with the past four years.

"Uhhh…so…uhhh….", I begin saying. I don't know why I'm acting this way, but I've just got this itchy feeling between Alex and I.

"Something the matter?" Alex wondered.

"What?"

"You're not acting like yourself."

"Every time I look at my own mailbox, I've got this guilt trip in me that triggers."

"It's been four years, Max. By now, I trust Chloe's moved on with her life from having her dad out of the family picture and probably made a new friend or two back home. You're telling me that all these years not once did you ever write to her, email her, text her, anything at all to keep the two of you undivided?"

"I don't know, Alex. After moving for greener and more northern pastures, I've been pretty much busy planning adventure with you to keep myself from thinking about Chloe. God, I make the worst excuses."

"I know I don't make the best advice about this, but you're dwelling upon something that occurred four years ago. The more your mind is full on it, the harder it is to move on. If it were me, I would've moved on by now. And I'm not saying that because I'm not the one who abandoned her best friend, I'm saying that as your big cousin looking up to her own."

I decide to drop my mind on my guilty conscience and shift subjects. One that relates to my closest family member.

"I didn't ask this earlier but how's the university?" I asked.

"It has its ups and downs," said Alex. "Managed to ace my history and archeology courses. And not the king of courses I took in high school. They're extra advanced and I study day and night for every exam. All the more reason I sleep in a lot."

"No dur."

"I bet you're wondering what we're doing."

"That's what I thought."

"Well…I've got a proposition to make."

"What kind of proposition?"

"Before I propose, let's play a game. Two truths and a lie."

"What?"

"It's a little game of mine where we share three facts about one another. Two of which is the truth, one of which is a lie. The other person needs to guess which is which."

"And we're playing this because?"

"You know what, I think because so we could have a game to play before I talk about my proposal. Doesn't matter who wins or loose. You game?"

"Alright, you're on."

"Okay then, I'll start. One, I'm ambidextrous. Two, I was born in Canada. The land of the French and the free to which I will one day return when my heinous exile here in Seattle come to an end. Three, I like cougars. Rrrrr."

"You make it sound so obvious that you certainly weren't born in Canada. That's the lie one-hundred percent. And definitively speaking, you are truly ambidextrous and you like cougars."

"Okay then, your turn."

Okay, Caulfield. Two truths, one lie. Something about myself. Should I start with a truth or a lie? Maybe I could cheat? Why even bother playing this game when the two of us know so much about each other? This feels like a game for people who don't know each other or just beginning too. Well, here goes nothing.

I think of two of three truths I can tell. One, I like photography. Two, I hate math. And three, I wanted to be a pirate as a kid. Then I think of lies to tell. Maybe ones that aren't too obvious. The first one I think of is I'm allergic to cats. The second I think of, I broke my hand punching someone. Last and third lie I come up with, I'm in a hockey team. Finally, I speak away.

"First, fact," I begin talking. "Right. I used to love math as a kid until now it just makes me want to vomit. Two, I once broke my hand punching Ashley Reed in the face in eighth grade. All because she stole my journal and I knocked her the fuck out. And three, always wanted to be a pirate when I was a kid. Sail the seven seas and search the treasure. Even found buried treasure once in Chloe's backyard."

"And you call me the obvious one, Max. Not sure why math wants to make you throw up, but I know you didn't break a bone punching that girl over a journal. All except for a bruise to the face."

"I was twelve, Alex. What twelve-year-old could hit that hard?"

"Not you, apparently."

"I'm a complex girl, you know. Just like you."

"You're a geeky girl is who you are. How's Uncle Ryan and Aunt Ness been lately?"

"Mom and dad have been really hard headed with me as of late. They think Cleveland isn't the best place for me to be. Between Gus Anthony and Principle Prescott, they think I belong in a more secure school than that."

"You don't say. You're in junior year and you don't think you can last one more year 'till graduation?"

"To be honest, I can't say I blame them. Cause I feel the same way too. They're thinking maybe I should be transferred to some boarding school back in Arcadia. It's called Blackwell Academy. I believe Chloe was once accepted there before I moved. And before her father died. Now…about this proposition of yours?"

Alex clears her throat. Ready to make her proposition.

"I think I've gotten a lead on how to make this adventure of ours possible," she said. "Remember Dad's journal we took from the Roland Estate years ago?"

"What about it?" I asked.

"When King Arthur began his journey to the Ark of Genesis, he needed a key to unlocking the pathway to the ark. Take a look at this."

Alex pulls out an old piece of paper from her pocket to show me a sketch of an object shaped like a rectangular hourglass. Must be the key she's talking about.

"This here, is called the Eon Codex," said Alex. "I pulled it out of Dad's journal this morning. In his notes, they explain that this codex was Arthur's little passcode to entering the lost city known as 'High Providence'. The city that was hidden by the wrath of the gods and where the Ark of Genesis was built. So that they could keep the ark hidden as well with High Providence. At least that's what the legends say according to Dad's notes."

"Where are you going with this, Alex?" I wondered. "How are we supposed to find some ancient codex we no nothing about or where it could be now?"

"Lucky for us, Arthur was only the first man to make this task. The second man to do so was a Professor in the early nineteen-hundreds named Ezra Prescott. When the first world war broke out, Ezra and his companies settled this journey with the American and British army against the Germans they were fighting against the war and competing with the find the ark first. Max, Ezra was Principle Prescott's great granddad. If she knew anything about him, she could be our source to finding this codex."

"Why would Principle Prescott know anything about this codex or what her long-dead ancestor did a century ago?"

"For one, we both know the Prescott family have an influential reputation on the people they offer help to for their foundation. For two, Principle Prescott of all people may be open to helping us find this ark and telling us where this codex could potentially be. What do ya say we go to her office sometime and discuss this with her about it?"

"I don't know, Alex. Principle Prescott isn't always the most trusting of people. With the kind of school I go to that always puts her on edge, it won't be easy convincing her. Can't Uncle Bryan be up to this?"

"No idea, Max. Sometimes he just likes to sick on this even more. I prefer we ask Prescott about it and then maybe see if Dad can work together with us to find this ark one day."

"How about Kristen and Fernando?"

"Fernan and Kristen will do anything I ask of them. They've been dedicated to helping since day zero. How 'bout you, Max? Will you still be up to it?"

"Not sure, Alex. I've spent my life dedicated to photography more than this ark. Can't say I am."

"You can still be a photographer, Max. You can take pictures on this trip of ours. We could use the photography to have memories of it all. You know we can. Whenever you want to make up your mind, let me know when you need an accomplice."

"Any thoughts what we should do downtown before this magic show you wanted to go to?"

"I thought about a walk in the park to take up some of our time. Grab some lunch at a hotdog stand. Then before we go to the show, we find Fernan and Kristen to see what they're up to."

I pull out my phone out of my pocket. Feeling like listening to songs on this train while staring at the window overviewing Seattle. I pull out my earbuds and plug them in for Alex and I to both listen. I search for the artist and look under 'Foals' to listen to one of their songs.

"Hey, want to listen?" I asked my cousin.

Alex takes an earbud to put in her ear and share. I do the same and I put the music on to enjoy it on the ride across Seattle. And the music begins.

 **Birch Tree – Foals**

The city I was born in  
I left a long time ago  
We lost touch  
Grew apart my friend  
My heart's an old pole dancer  
Troubled romancer, you know  
It's a subway chancer  
A question with no answer

Come meet me by the river  
See how time it flows  
I'll meet you by the river  
See how time it flows

And when we age  
Shed our skin and grow  
We shed our layers  
Spread our wings and go  
My heart's an old black panther  
Corrupted financer, you know  
It's a troubled romancer  
A question with no answer

Come meet me by the river  
See how time it flows  
I'll meet you by the river  
See how time it flows

Come meet me by the river  
See how time it flows  
I'll meet you by the river  
See how time it flows

Ooooh, oooooh  
(Yeah) Ooooh  
(Yeah) Ooooh

Oh now the river runs away but I chase it (yeah)  
Time holds no fear when I turn round to face it (yeah)  
Oh now the river runs away when I chase it (yeah)  
Time holds no fear when I turn round to face it (yeah)

Come meet me by the river  
See how time it flows  
I'll meet you by the river  
See how time it flows

Oh now the river runs away but I chase it  
Time holds no fear when I turn round to face it  
Oh now the river runs away but I chase it  
Time holds no fear when I turn round to face it

When the song ends, I turn the music off, remove our headphones, and put my phone away to talk so we can hear each other. I enjoyed listening to the melody of the tune while glancing upon Seattle over the train window. Especially with my only cousin.

"Maybe you don't have to be part of this," said Alex. "You really don't."

"And why do you say that?" I asked.

"You got your own agenda. I got mine. If you don't feel like your up to the task, I won't be disappointed for turning me down."

"I'd do anything for and with you, Alex. Just as long as our subtlety is valued."

"In any case, when your dad is a historian and explorer, it can run in the family. It's in my blood. Maybe one day when I'm out of college, I'll find that ark. Maybe sooner than later."

"What makes you think that?"

"Sometimes, I feel like I got every reason to do so. Don't be surprised, Max, if one day, I'm just out of here."

"Let me know when you need an accomplice."

* * *

Chloe – Age 23 (POV)

Max – Age 21

July 20th, 2017

7:07 PM

Portland, Oregon

Sygnii Apartments

 **Present day…**

After waiting two weeks to hear from Max about her new job and packing for Portland's evacuation, I sat down on the couch in my living room wrapping up my online college course in physics. That's when I hear my phone buzz on the living room table. I pick it up to see Max calling and I answer it.

"Hey!" I said on the phone. "Hey, Max."

 _"_ _Hi, babe,"_ said Max on the phone.

"Hi, I've been trying to get a hold of you. Are you okay?"

 _"_ _Yeah, of course. What do you mean?"_

"Oh, you know, the news. There's been ConDef attacks around the country and hear they could be targeting places in Canada. And since Portland is expected to be hit, maybe going to Vancouver during the middle of all this wasn't such a good idea?"

 _"_ _Yeah, right. Yeah, um, they just put my internship on hold due to the ConDef attacks and I think people here in the city are under curfew as well."_

"Well as long as your safe."

 _"_ _Speaking of, are you still safe? Is Portland doing okay?"_

"They just announced curfews two weeks ago after they hit Seattle and I'm thinking about going to Aaron and Linda's place to stay safe."

 _"_ _Your aunt and uncle's? Why them?"_

"They live outside the state and live in a place ConDef wouldn't normally hit. So are you going to start work tomorrow?"

 _"_ _Huh, postponed actually. On hiatus, actually. I think I just told you that. Looks like we're gonna need maybe another ten days or so."_

"Ugh, ten days? Hey, well…why don't I just uh, go ahead and buy a ticket then."

 _"_ _Oh, you know you don't have to do that. Just go to Aaron and Linda's. I mean, you know these guys are always overestimating things. I'm sure it'll be less time than that."_

"Okay, well…you know, don't rush. Make sure that you're safe."

 _"_ _Oh, I will. Always do. Listen, I'm – I'm sorry. I gotta go. Jarvis's calling me over."_

"Okay."

 _"_ _I love you."_

"I love you too."

I hung up the phone and stare back at my laptop. Wondering why it was taking Max this long to get her job. With a war breaking out in this country and the other side of the globe, it makes me nervous to believe what is really going on with her. I'm beginning to think she's hiding something from me. I refuse to believe it given the promise we made for each over the last three years as roommates, but I know I suspect something. And I was going to discover what it was according to my gut feeling. One way or another.

 **Note: And here we are folks. Load and behold the first chapter of Eternity War Episode 3: The Great Journey. As I've spoken before, I will be writing this before getting to the last episode of The Lost Daughter for those following that story. This episode could be my best yet and as I look forward to writing this, I also look forward to season 2's announcement in the next couple of day at E3 if that happens. So sit tight and enjoy this episode everyone!**

 **I also like to mention that the train scene between Max and Alex in the flashback is just a little shout back of mine to the train scene between Chloe and Rachel in Before the Storm. Knowing how I've made the relationship between the Caulfield cousins almost parallel to Amberprice's.**

 **As said before and be said again, until next time, stay tuned and golden! ;D**


	2. Old Friends, New Missions

Chapter 2 Old Friends, New Missions

David – Age 49 (POV)

Cayce – Age 31

Kristine – Age 27

July 19th, 2017

12:02 PM

Pacific Ocean

USCC Oregon

It had been seven days since the incident in San Francisco and I had been spending time with Logos and Newblood throwing punches in the gym's boxing ring on the crew deck. I wore my gym shirt and boxing gloves to blow some steam with two of my teammates in Valor. A commander versus his two sergeants. A two on one exercise.

Logos throws a punch at Newblood and knocks him down against the rubber ropes. I go next against Logos before we me a single hit.

"What took you so long?" Logos taunts.

I throw him a quick jab to the face and almost break his lips and nose off. He caught himself off guard with his own words as I made sure of it to let him know it doesn't take me that long to react. Logos chuckles with his minor pain. Then prepares to fight again with me.

"So the boss is back in town," said Logos. Positioning himself to fight. "Now go get that fuck Alkaline."

My opponent throws a punch at me across the chin as an uppercut. As I'm being hit, I begin to see flashes in my mind about what I had to go through in this war until now.

"He just blew Seattle the fuck up," continues Logos.

He throws another punch to my face as I have flash in my head seeing less than a second of the choppers destroyed by RPGs. The ones carry the child that died in the explosion with his parents.

"He also blew up San Fran."

Loges continuously swings his gloved fists at me as I have flashes about the Ares figure and his pet dragon if I wasn't just seeing things.

"And now he's gonna blow you up too!"

Something about Logos is as if he just wanted to keep the pressure going. If that's what he wanted, that's what he'll get. I now through punches back at him hitting him across the cheeks and against the ribs. With every strike I make, flashes the airship that dusted a city street in Seattle, stabbing James's torturer in the throat, and so much more rapidly spawned in my thoughts of oppressiveness and cruelty. If Logos was just pressuring me for hatred, he may have gone too far.

With just one more blow across the chin, Logos is knocked down on the floor of the ring. Logos helps himself off the floor as Newblood helps himself up too and I take a moment to breathe from the adrenaline. I fought harder than my fights with Jefferson and Crosby four or three years back. And I think I've been had.

"Dude, I think Alkaline is going down," commented Logos.

"It's been a week since San Fran," I said breathing hard. "I'm not one with beliefs of mythological shit, but I saw him with my own eyes. He strangled me to death with his bare hand and strange ass glove. Ares, the fucking god of war, people. And not once since have we ever figured out what the fuck he wants or what the fuck this space shard is people! And I'm down here screwing around in a fucking boxing ring for fuck's sake! Jesus."

I take a sigh of breath from the swearing and irritation. I fold my hand over my hands trying to let go of my frustration.

"I think we should all save our breaths for the war, eh?" Newblood asked. "It's been the bloodiest war we've fought yet."

"I'm not sure if any of you are taking me seriously," I said. "But something not correct here. What if Alkaline isn't the main threat? What if it's Ares setting things in motion for this war?"

"Ah, fuck it," said Logos. "I just didn't hit you hard enough. Honestly, David, I wouldn't know shit. Cause I wasn't there when this story of Ares and his fire-breathing dragon came true."

"I'm gonna go down to the mess hall. I haven't eaten anything since six in the morning."

* * *

As soon as I'm in the mess hall with my food already served, I had seen James and Cayce sitting down at a table having lunch together. They had already been talking to one another as they were eating. I decide to drop into their conversation and appetite with them.

"I did not raise my daughter to be a soldier for one," said James. "For two, the last time she had anything to do with Chrysalis, she almost died during the Triple 4 attack in Portland when it was already hard enough for me and my wife to lose her the first time."

"It was not my choice to look after her, Mr. Amber," said Cayce. "It was-"

"Please, just call me James."

"James, it wasn't my choice to protect her. It was Crosby's. The man who brought her back from the first time she died and the man behind Triple 4. The last person I trusted in Chrysalis."

"And when did you come to terms that Crosby really couldn't be trusted?"

"The day of the attack when he orchestrated it all is when."

"Here's something I'd like you to know, Cayce. I honor the fact that you were only looking after Rachel and supporting her all those months. Your choice or not. But the last person I want her to be with is a Chrysalis soldier dragging her into a suicidal warzone. Such as the Bolivian civil war and the Portland attack alike."

Cayce sighed for a moment. Honoring James's wishes. Then thinking about his secret Cayce knew about thanks to Rachel. Which he didn't want to bring up, but almost did.

"She told me, you know," said Cayce. "About what happened between you her. About you know what."

James's face was pale. Fearing for his privacy exposed to Cayce alone.

"About what you did-"

"Stop right there," warned James. "As far as I'm concerned, Rachel, her boyfriend Frank, her friends Max and Chloe, my wife Rose, and now you are the only ones who know about that. And you don't ever bring that up again at all."

"I have no quarrel with you about it, James. But as a friend of Rachel's, I deserved to know about her troubled past. Never tried to attack or threaten you about it. But if I offended, I apologize."

The two gentlemen noticed me approaching the table they sat on and ended their discussion as soon as I got there. They politely welcome me without a word about James's secret exposed to me.

"Commander Madsen, there you are," said James.

"Commander," said Cayce.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting, Senator," I said with my tray in hands. "May I?"

"I'll be leaving now, David," said Cayce. "I'll be at the sanctuary if you need."

Cayce leaves the table finishing is food and exiting the mess hall. I sit down in front of James ready to eat and talk with him next. It would appear the senator himself was able to walk without a crutch within a weak of recovery. There was still gauze stitched on his forehead to heal his cuts. With a bruise below his eye still healing from before.

"Is my Corporal giving you any trouble?" I asked.

"Don't mind him," said James. "We haven't really spoken too much to each other since we arrived here."

"How're your injuries doing? Looks like you no longer need to walk with a crutch in your arm."

"I don't. The doctor said I can walk better without it since my ribs are nearing recovery. Still have cuts and bruises to heal from the bastards who gave me them. Still can't believe I let them torture me in front of Rose and my friends for three days."

"Where's Rose right now?"

"She's in the sanctuary on the refugee deck. Talking to Joyce and that Caulfield couple which I believe to be the parents of Max Caulfield from that case in Arcadia Bay three years ago."

"James, there may be something I need to ask of you that could be critical to our cause in this war."

"Most of it is classified, David. But you can ask me anything as commander of Valor Team."

"Did you happen to know what Project Elysium was from Chrysalis?"

"I believe so. The project decades worth of work if that's what your referring to."

"Then you should know that it was the project secretly conducted as a superweapon for Neo-Chrysalis to orchestrate Triple 4. From what I was told, there was the main source to the project to give it the power unleashed the Portland attack. Something called the Space Shard. Do you know what that is?"

"Should I have? I don't trust I do. Why?"

"Since I've been told, it's been eating at my mind to understand what it really is and why and how it was used for Project Elysium."

"And who told you about this?"

"You'll probably say I'm crazy for saying this, but Ares told me about this. Back at the base when ConDef and the Fallen were taking over."

"Who told you this?"

"Ares, the god of war. Remember that strange figure that appeared on the monitors after Alkaline's message? The one who called us vermin and talked about the coming fire? That's who. He seized me with his hand like a wooden doll. Interrogating me where the Space Shard was. Telling me something about balancing the universe. I figured you of all people might know what he was talking about."

"They never taught me a ton of mythological stuff in Sunday School. Not the ones unrelated to Christian testament, but I'm familiar with the name Ares from Greek mythos. Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of intel related to the war. I gave as much as I could to Admiral Penske in CIC."

I stopped pushing James for information and finished my lunch up. I was ready to leave and return to the refugee deck to see Joyce, Cayce, and the others.

"Nice talking with you, James," I said. "Thanks anyway."

"It's my pleasure, David," said James.

* * *

As soon as I return to the sanctuary on the refugee deck, to see Joyce, Ness, and Ryan socializing in their triage with Rose. When I got inside, the four of them already seemed to be getting along. Although Joyce had met Rachel's parents before, the two Caulfields had still yet to met the Ambers which they already have. Ryan's leg was still in recovery with his cast still on. His injuries seemed to be worse than James's.

"And James says, 'Frank, Francis Bowers'," said Rose. "Then Frank says, 'Sorry, but it's Frank to me. I'd like to keep my General Beans.'"

The four of them have a laugh about Rose's story she told Joyce and the Caulfields. They notice me entering their shelter and welcome me in.

"David, missed you this morning," said Rose. "How you've been?"

"Is that a bruise on your face?" Joyce asked. Noticing the bruise I got from Logos. "What happened?"

"Logos happened," I said. "Took a couple of hits from him in the gym. Heard anything about Chloe?"

"She's headed to my brother and sister-in-law's. She'll be safe there away from Portland."

"Ness, Ryan, heard anything about Max?" I asked.

"Max called us and said she's still working things out with her boss for her new job," said Vanessa. "Said it'll be ten something days 'till it can be settled. Maybe less."

"Getting better, Ryan?" I asked him. "I figured that leg would be able to walk again."

"Ah, the doc said it may be another week or two," said Ryan. "Maybe even the rest of the month. But it is getting better. That crash really busted this leg good. It should be as new shortly though. What's your story?"

"All the usual, Ryan," I said. "All the usual. How 'bout you, Rose? Are your people doing alright on this deck?"

"We've made everyone as comfortable as we could," said Rose. "Those Berkeley kids have made themselves at home and this deck appeared to have more room than what we thought we could make for everybody. I met that young man of yours named Cayce. I knew Rachel was once with him and it sounded like he took good care of her. I'm pretty sure James and I saw him earlier last week with you back at the base."

"How is Rachel by the way?" I asked. "I never asked about her."

"Rachel's doing fine for the moment. She's still in Vancouver with Frank waiting on the finals for the show she's on. Her live dancing took my husband and I's breaths away."

"You looked stressed out, David," said Joyce. "Something on your mind?"

"From the world hanging by a thread in this war against ConDef and what I've gone through in Seattle and San Fran," I said. "There's something about this war I believe none of us know about yet. And I'd like to get to the bottom of it if we're to win this war any day now."

"You shouldn't be so hardheaded fighting this war, David," said Rose. "You're the hope of our people and you're team. The heart and soul of Chrysalis. Even though that's what they call Penske. But as long as you're here, there's still hope for us to win this war fighting ConDef. Just remember that."

"I'm gonna leave the four of you to it now," I said. "Take care."

I try finding Cayce and Kristine on the refugee deck. When I do, I find them both in Victoria's triage. Making herself comfortable with her friends. Kristine was helping the boy named Hayden removing his arm cast and Cayce just stood by idly with her. The college kids themselves noticed me coming inside and welcomed me for their own familiarity. But not my popularity.

"Look who just walked into our triage," said the girl named Dana.

"Yo, it's David, right?" The boy named Freddy asked. "Thanks for saving our skins back there and bringing Uncle Andy along. We thought we were toast in that battlefield."

"Lovely to see you too, David," said Victoria. "I couldn't thank you more."

"So what have you all been up to the past three years out of Blackwell?" I asked. "No school protest? No teenage marches?"

"I've been staging a sorority at Berkeley with Taylor, Courtney, Dana, and Juliet. While Zach and Logan attended the OSU, Hayden just so happened to attend with us instead. Also met Freddy who I've been together since freshman year. And I'm on the road to my photography degree if this war so much as doesn't close it. What made you decide to join Chrysalis?"

"I was just a middle-aged man who thought Chrysalis would a more ambitious career than Blackwell security and the ABPD," said David. "It was great while it lasted. Right up until we were on the brink of war with ConDef. Just like old times in Afghanistan, but much worse."

 _"_ _Madsen, Foley, and Prescott. Please report to CIC for debriefing immediately. Madsen, Foley, and Prescott."_

"Are our names always called to CIC?" Cayce wondered.

"You sorority girls stay safe now," I said. "Duty calls."

"Same old David," said Victoria.

Kristine, Cayce, and I leave the triage to report back to CIC for our next debriefing. Kris finished helping Hayden with his arm and we left immediately. On the way to debriefing, I was yet still demanding answers about Ares's wants with the Space Shard and what it had to do with this war.

"I can't figure out Ares without getting inside his fucking head," I said. "We can't just let this go you know. Penske has to know about this."

"I already told Penske about it, David," said Kristine. "He can't confirm or deny anything for the time being until there's more proof of Ares's existence."

"That's bullshit, Kristine. We witnessed him with own fucking eyes with his own mother fucking dragon."

"And we're the only ones who witnessed that shit along with Captain Cage and nobody else," said Cayce. "Obsessing about it can't get us more proof."

"The next time we catch eyes on him," I said. "I want that son of a bitch caught on camera. We make sure to tell HQ that if we ever see him again on our next assignment."

* * *

After saying hi to old friends, it was time to deal with the new mission as I enter the debriefing room with Admiral Penske in front of the war table projecting the globe map in front of everyone in their seats attending the briefing. Highlighting the state of Massachusetts on the US portion of the map.

"Reliable sources suggest a ConDef raid in Cambridge, Massachusetts," I begin. "Kidnapping of students, technicians, professors, and a heist of an unknown device. Planned to be set up at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. No one knows what the device ConDef is stealing or what they want with it. Much less why kidnappings are occurring. But it does link to ConDef propaganda. Undercover ops obtained this intel via the old fashioned way in Cambridge."

"That's right boys," said Penske. "Cambridge. Now I got enough problems. I don't need MIT being ConDef's bitch."

I project an image of the MIT for everyone in the room to see for objectives.

"Our objectives will be to rescue any in all possible hostage holdings and prevent the kidnapping of any person in the institute," I continued. "As well acknowledging reasons behind the heist of the unidentified device being held at the institute linked to ConDef. Once everyone in the compound is extracted, we relocate to the Oregon's sanctuary."

The next location I highlight on the map is the state of Idaho. And the objective city for the following assignment after MIT.

"We also have trouble in the state of Idaho," I resumed. "The state's secretary informed Chrysalis intelligence of possible ConDef activity taking over a Christian community in Caldwell for reasons unknown. The community itself is located in a small homestead village located fifty miles from Caldwell inside Canyon County. Intel also suggest another unidentified objective ConDef is retrieving for their collective cause. Which would be located somewhere inside the county itself. To evacuate the Christians and relocate them to the Oregon as always, we'll provide a convoy to drive the evacuees to an LZ where choppers can pick them up. At the first sign of trouble, use of aerial force via AC-130 is authorized."

"Authorized and fucking mandated," said Penske.

"HQ will track your every move and is ready with the ordinance from above if needed," I said. "As soon as everyone is boarded on the convoy and the convoy leaves, RPGs and snipers will flank you on the dirt. We'll be playing it safe, so no boots on the ground this time during the evacuation. Just choppers and the eye in the sky."

"We won't be able to launch both assignments all at once. Madsen, the choice of which mission comes first is yours."

 **X/SQUARE/LM – SAVE INSTITUTE**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM – SAVE CHRISTIANS**

"First things first," I said. "We launch our mission on the MIT in Cambridge at 19:00 eastern. You all know what to do. Rescue any civilians taken hostage in the building and find out what device is in there that ConDef needs. Dismissed."

 **Note: So if you guessed where this part of David's side story is going next who he'll meet during, you guessed right. Unlike Finn's story in The Last Jedi, this side story will go absolutely somewhere…eventually. Every chapter will go back and forth between Max's and David's story once in a while like all subplots do. I'll also be seeing Solo: A Star Wars Story tomorrow to see how that film compares to the rest. It should be alright.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	3. Caffarella Park

Chapter 3 Cafferalla Park

Max – Age 21 (POV)

Alex – Age 25

Bryan – Age 52

July 21st, 2017

5:03 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

20 miles from Rome

 **WickDaLine presents…**

My cousin, uncle, and I had just arrived in Rome as it took us a week to get to the country of Italy. Though it was only a few hours fly from Greece to Italy, we had to make a one-week rest stop in Albania to refuel Bryan's plane as it took six days for us to find the fuel we needed. We arrived here and docked the plane in Rome ten hours ago before finding a hotel room to get some rest and be on our way to the Castle Camelot Museum in Caffarella Park off the countryside near Rome.

We had also rented ourselves a 4x4 to drive ourselves to Caffarella Park in order to make it to Castle Camelot. Two of our only leads to finding the Reality Shard as found in Ezra's diary. We were suspecting ConDef to be there before us and so we drove cautiously into the park to avoid any contact or engagement with the front. And if Rachel, Frank, Fernando, and Kristen were there too, we'd have to get to them before ConDef did as well for the Reality Shard. At least the four of them would be equipped to deal with any worse case scenario with Alkaline's army.

It still shames me to fib talk Chloe three times on the phone in two weeks. It shames me even more so to be involved in a war effort I never asked nor should be involved in. No matter how so-worthy I am in this fantasy of time travel and Eternity Shards, it didn't mean I thought of myself worthy for that. And for that, I was bound to be tearing my relationship with Chloe for this petty adventure my so-dead cousin and uncle dragged me in. A risk I was forced to take.

 **A Life Is Strange fan fiction…**

The three of us parked the rental jeep in the middle of the dirt park road to begin this long-awaited trip. Waking up as early as four in the mourning and sleeping as early as nine at night for this. We've been trying to get in contact with Rachel and the others since we started flying to Italy, but with no responses whatsoever. Either we couldn't get the proper regional reception on our phones or may have just gotten an Amber killed again dragging her and the boyfriend into this as well. I'll pray for bad reception if getting her killed isn't on my conscience. Even after a week traveling, Uncle Bryan still owed me for what my family had to do with the herd. And yet his lips were sealed.

As the jeep was parked, the three of us were trying to get a signal through the GPS on Bryan's phone to find Castle Camelot. Alex and Bryan got off the jeep to wait for a signal as I sat down in the driver's seat to take the wheel. We've already been waiting five minutes for the satellites to pick the signal up to no avail. Alex juggled a rock over her hand as she got bored.

 **Life Is Strange: Eternity War – Episode 3: The Great Journey**

"What are the satellites saying, Dad?" Alex asked. Tossing the rock around.

"Right now, not a goddamn thing," said Bryan. Holding his phone around for the signal. "I lost the signal."

I grew tired of waiting and stepped out of the car.

"Hey, ya know what doesn't loses its signal?" I asked my cousin and Uncle. Walking up to them. "Paper."

In case the GPS never worked, we brought a map with us to mark the direction from where the road begins to the castle. I lay it down on the hood of the car to review the map with Alex and Bryan.

"Alright, this route right here should take us straight to the castle," I said. Pointing at the directions. "Might get a little bumpy though."

"Let's get the show on the road," said Alex.

"Okay," said Bryan.

"Alright."

The three of us hop back inside the 4x4 as turn the keys, start the engine, shift the gear, and hit the gas on the park trail. It was only an hour or two until the sun came up, so I made sure the head lights were on also.

Even when it was dark out, the site of the park was amazing in the moonlight. Driving down a hill past trees and a mountainside afar, I've never really had this good of a view of nature since the camping trip with Alex, Chloe, and I eleven years ago.

"So, what're we looking for out here?" Bryan asked.

"Well, the map shows all these structures around the mountainside," I said driving. "Some abandoned outposts and a handful of watchtowers."

"Watchtowers?"

"Ezra was the most wanted man in the world," said Alex. "Thanks to Arthur's one-thousand-year-old structures, Ezra was able to adapt from those. So if he was hiding something out here, makes sense he'd need lookouts."

"And one of those towers is right on the mountainside," I said.

"With the Reality Shard?"

"Fingers crossed," said Alex. "By the way Max, I don't believe I'm asking this now and haven't asked this before, but have you even thought about a backup plane in case Rachel gets cold feet?"

"No, because she won't," I said.

"Or if she got caught?"

"Alex, she knows what kind of people we're up against. I've seen her brutalize a bunch of quantum terrorist like Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. She and her boyfriend can take good care of Fernan and Kristen. Not to mention Frank himself has threatened to hurt people before and his bite will be worse than his bark at the first ConDef dickhead he sees. We passed our first assignment with them back in Vancouver. We make a solid team."

"Uh-huh."

"Alright, fine. Go ahead. Say it."

"What if she stole that shard for herself?"

"Not in a million years."

"Rachel Amber, the girl who cheated on Chloe for Frank if I'm right."

"That is a completely different story."

"And the girl who pulled a double-cross on your ass during a Chrysalis job."

"Yes, she's double-crossed people in the past. But also triple-crossed people to make up for her betrayals. Including us."

"No, including you."

"I know you two don't know each other well enough-"

"Huge understatement."

"But I trust her, alright? She's family."

Alex chuckled about calling Rachel family. When her last name wasn't Caulfield.

"No, no, no," I said. "Look, I just need you to trust her too. Bryan, do you trust her?"

"Trust is a hard thing to learn, Max," said Bryan. "But for now, I trust her."

"Alex, do you trust her?"

Alex sighed.

"Fine," she said. "Fine. Sorry I said anything."

"She'll come through for us," I said. "And if she and the others get caught, we can help them."

As I drove along the path, the road's terrain was a little muddy in some parts and I even drove over a mud puddle. The 4x4 was all-terrain itself. Built to drive on any terrain possible. Even came with an emergency winch on the front bumper.

I assumed we'd be driving by some ruins of the lookouts and outpost before we got to the castle. It wouldn't be open until 7 AM. So we need to be there in less than two hours. If Rachel and the others made it there, so could we.

"So with our luck," I said. "What are the odds ConDef got here before we could?"

"High," said Bryan. "Very high. Trust me. Europe has been at risk of ConDef activity since day one. That's the first thing I looked up when we said we were heading here. That and where to rent the cheapest 4x4."

While keeping the peddle on the 4x4, there appeared to be stacks of rocks next to the path. Cairns as they were called. Could they help us on the way to the castle?

"Wonder who made these cairns?" I asked while driving by them. "Must be a trail marker. Let's keep an eye out for them."

There did appear to be a couple more cairns beside the path we drove on. All leading up to what appeared to be a wooden bridge built between two cliffs and two hills. One of the hills marked with the path where we could drive up to the bridge itself. However, the bridge didn't look like it was built for motor vehicles.

"That bridge there is what you would call 'rickety'," said Alex.

The hill itself I drove on to get to the bridge looked promising, but unbalanced. The path was muddy and we would need some solid traction for the wheels to drive over so our vehicle would slip off the road or get stuck in the mud like driving in winter. The path itself was also a little bumpy around the edges and I drove the jeep crooked a little to drive past the slippery road. I gave her everything she got until I made it up the hill.

As I was driving closer to the bridge, I was going to need to drive with caution. Knowing how unstable the bridge made of toothpicks would be for the vehicle's weight. Even Bryan warned me so like a first-time driver.

"Okay, kid," said Bryan. "Just…don't drop us."

As soon as our tires rolled on the wooden planks of the bridge, we could hear it creek. The weight of our vehicle was even breaking off the wood itself. A sign of this bridge collapsing before us. Alex tried to steady my driving no matter how cautiously I drove.

"Hey, just – keep it slow…keep it in the center," she said.

"Yeah, there's a lot of backseat driving going on right now," I said.

And at that second, the bridge fell halfway down on us. My body jumped and shrieked as I was startled by the laws of gravity and gasped to death on the wheel. The bridge couldn't take it any longer. Lucky for us, we were less than a feet away across.

"We're good," I wept. "Everything's good."

"Jesus Christ," said Bryan. Almost giving him a heart attack.

Once we were driving back on solid ground, more trail markets were in sight. Or so you call them cairns.

"That's a snazzy looking rock pile," said Alex.

"Technically, it's called a cairn," I said.

"Yeah, I don't like to say that word. It just…sounds weird. Care…carin…car – nope. Nope, I don't like it."

I had to drive up another mudslide that would be even trickier to drive through. Onward and upward we go, I wasn't going to get too much hard traction directly up the hill. I was going to need to drive around and over where I could have the proper traction to drive up the muddy hill. And that's what I did to keep the 4x4 from getting stuck in the mud or sliding down.

Once we made it up, I was getting the hang of tenuous driving. They may not have taught me this in driving school, but they always taught me that every driver could use a backup tool for any emergencies necessary. Or rather tools for precaution to prevent those emergencies.

Driving forward, I spotted some tire tracks up a rocky slope with another cairn at the top. If that was where the trail was taking us, I was going to have to drive our vehicle up on the limestones used as a driving ramp. When we had driven to the top, Alex spotted some ruins up on another hill twenty feet ahead of us.

"Hey, look up there on the hill," she said. "Got a tower or something."

"Now we're talking," said Bryan.

I assumed it had to be one of Arthur's or Ezra's watchtowers that looked only half built. Or rather half damaged as the top half of the tower was missing. And that where we drove to next.

"Hey, Dad," said Alex. "What were you arguing with the rental guy about?"

"Oh, your cousin insisted on getting a 4x4 with a winch," said Bryan.

"So you sprung for the winch, but you couldn't spring for the suspension. I got it."

"Hey, it's important," I said. "Going off road, it might rain, might be muddy."

"I'll bet we go through this whole goddamn thing and never use that winch," said Bryan.

"So, Max," said Alex. "You're thinking Prescott, Blackwell, and some other big-shot herd members pooled their shards, and came out here because…why exactly?"

"Who knows," I said. "Maybe for protection? German forces were closing in on them."

"Sure, maybe he helped them disappear? I mean, the guy clearly had a knack for hiding things."

The ruined watched was just a click ahead of us. Upon approach, we were tasked to drive up or biggest, longest, and most slippery mud hill yet. Going with my boldest, but dumbest move, I directly drive up the heavily muddy hill in hopes of a shot in the dark.

"And…go," I said. Hitting gas drive the car up. And as I suspected, the tires struggle against the mud and cause the jeep to gradually slide down over.

"And…no," said Bryan.

"Ah, it was a valiant effort," said Alex.

I park the car by some stair steps built beside the mud slide and take us to the tower. Alex and I hop out to check the tower out and find a way for the jeep to drive up the muddy slope. And here Bryan thought we'd never have to use the winch. Don't say I didn't warn him.

Alex and I walk up the steps to check the tower and find a way up. Even with a chunk of tower missing, it was still in decent condition after thousands of years.

"It's in pretty good shape for something several thousand years old," said Alex.

"Yeah," I said. "They're definitely from Arthur's era."

When taking a peak inside the ruined tower, there was a sigil of a dragon marked on the floor. Could it have been related to one of Ezra's members of the herd?

"Alex, look," I said.

"That's Christoph Carter's sigil," said Alex. "Captain of the Fiery Dragon platoon for Ezra's army. Operated out of Italy around Ezra's time. So…maybe Ezra recruits military captains…to what? Be his lookouts? They don't make any sense."

"No, it doesn't."

"Well, maybe each member was responsible for a tower. Along with providing the men for it? Whatever the case, this certainly isn't our final stop on the tour."

I walked out of the tower to resume my search for something to help us get the jeep up here. I had seen a tree trunk with it's bark stripped away. As if something held onto it. I inspected it to prove the winch useful to what I was looking at.

"Huh, barked stripped away," I said. "Something was wrapped around this tree."

I walked down the stair steps to return to the 4x4 and grab hold of the winch on the bumper. I would need to drag it up the steps so I'd be able to tie it around the tree trunk.

"Hey, did you know our car came with a winch?" I teased my uncle. Waiting in his passenger seat.

"No, really?" Bryan teased with me. "I didn't know. Watcha gonna do with it?"

"Not sure yet."

I grabbed the winch's hook, dragged the winch's wire up the steps, and tied around the trunk. Using its hook to attach the wire around the trunk and for the winch to hold it together. Then the jeep was ready to be pulled up the hill.

"There, that oughta do it," I said.

Alex and I hopped back in the car as I got it started to be pulled up the steep slope. I hit the gas peddle as hard as I could as the 4x4 vehicle's winch helped gravitate the tires up the steepest and slipperiest hill. Keeping it steady on the peddle and behind the wheel. And just what we were expecting, we were at the top of the hill proving the winch successful after all. I laughed with glee.

"You see, Bryan?" I asked. "Winch. Totally worth it."

"We cleared a hill," said Bryan. "It hasn't exactly paid for itself."

"Well, not yet. Small victories."

"Yeah, well, I'll celebrate the big ones."

We now drive on more sturdy ground and the trail. Within less than ten seconds of driving, we were now arriving to our most glamorous view of Castle Camelot in the moonlight. We had arrived at our destination. But we still had another mile of distance to drive closer to the castle for our best entry.

"Feat your eyes, ladies and gents," said Alex.

"Wowser," I said.

"Spectacular," said Bryan.

Staring at the view of the castle got me a Game of Thrones vibe. Or perhaps someplace out of the Elder Scrolls games series and Lord of the Ring movie series. Anything fantasy drastic I could think was how it felt to be overlooking King Arthur's massive castle. Wish I could assume Ezra once used as his fortress of his own. And now it's just a museum of the castle itself in our modern-day lives.

I continued driving the 4x4 to take us down the hill to Camelot and find us an entry at close quarters. Just as long as there was no sign of ConDef forces occupying Arthur's fortress.

"Just imagine," said Alex. "You've come here, a well-to-do archeologist, far away from your oppressive Germans-"

Bryan laughed.

"Poor, oppressed herd," he corrected. "All they wanted to do was to murder and pillage in peace."

"No, no," said Alex. "They wanted to live as free men. It was World War I, Dad. Whaddya expect? A stalemate between one oppressive people and another?"

"Well, if you're gonna pick a place to run away from society," I said. "You can do a lot worse than here. Not mention the Saxons during Arthur's time. And what did they knights of Loomis do before the herd? History only repeated itself centuries later."

"We've arrived at our destination," said Bryan. "And yet it's taking us forever to get to this castle."

"Patience, Dad," said Alex. "Patience. Do you know how those knights and herd members got here? They had to start in England, sail to Brazil, then cut back across the Atlantic to southern Europe…"

"Alex-"

"And they figured all that out with paper, charts, and by looking at the stars."

"Hey, you're describing sailing to a former squid."

"The point is, we got it pretty easy."

"Yeah, well, still taking a long time."

"We're almost down this hill," I said. Quelling the argument. "There's some more cairns up ahead."

"Rock pile," corrected Alex.

"Sorry, Alex. Right, rock pile."

"Thank you."

"You know, someone worked very hard to stack those rocks."

"You know, no one's told me what our family had to do with the herd and I'm stilling waiting for the answer after a long week of silence."

"I told you before, Max," said Bryan. "I would tell you when you are ready. Now quit asking and keep driving."

We were almost down the hill. Closer than ever to our destination and figured this may be a good stop for this 4x4 just to find our entrance. Luckily.

"Well," said Alex. "Would ya look at that-"

Suddenly, a loud explosion was seen and heard from the castle. We were startled and I immediately hit the brakes as Bryan warns me too.

"Oh, shit!" Bryan panics. "Stop! Stop!"

Once the vehicle made it's stop, it didn't take us more than a second to realize who was down there. None other than Alkaline's army themselves. The Continuum Defense Front was in the house and already raiding the castle before we could. As we anticipated them to.

"I see 'em," I said. "Here."

I reach for the binoculars in the compartment and take a good look around through the lenses. I was seeing ConDef troopers on my scopes rounding up dynamite and C4 to rig the castle's walls to blow just to get inside. If Rachel, Frank, Kristen, and Fernan were here, we needed to find them quick. The place was already overrun by Continuum's soldiers and surely Rachel they others must be aware that they were here if they were there likewise.

"What do we got?" Alex asked.

"Military types poking around," I said.

"Alkaline's guys?"

"Yep."

"Son of a bitch."

"Looks like they found a way inside. Through a hole they just blew."

I hand my uncle over the binoculars so he would see for himself.

"They haven't found Rachel and the others, right?" Bryan asked.

"From my understanding, that's the good news," I said.

"That means there's bad news."

Bryan looked through the lenses and saw Alkaline's men hoping out of cargo trucks by the front gate of King Arthur's fortress. No sign of Rachel and our other three companions however.

"The route inside is straight through them," I said.

"Well, shit," said Bryan. "We do have the drop on 'em."

"What's the play here, Max?" Alex asked.

"Before we go anywhere," said Bryan. "I think it's best if only you girls go in without me. While you two go find that shard and the others, I'll ready an escape vehicle."

"Sounds like a plan," said Alex. "Max, whaddya say?"

"Just follow my lead," I said.

 **Note: Before we exit this chapter, I'd like you all to know that we've finally received the announcement we've all anticipated from DONTNOD at E3. Or so have we thought. The moment of truth is here. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit! The prelude to Life Is Strange Season 2, baby! Available for free on June 26** **th** **! And not for $30/40 like Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes! Like MGS5 before this, it would seem that's the route DONTNOD is taking. No matter what occurs in season 2, my fanon still stands as always and as I may have spoken before. Plus, I got started on DONTNOD's Vampyr and it's okay for the most part playing the first hour of it.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	4. MIT

Chapter 4 MIT

David

July 20th, 2017

7:30 PM

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Wellington-Harrington

After half an hour of our mission's ETA, Lieutenant Lynch flew us from the Oregon all the way to the East Coast of Massachusetts. It was me, Cayce, Kristen, Flint, and Cage taking on the mission to the MIT's hostage crisis while the rest of Valor Team were out and sitting back on the Oregon. Our team's pilot herself had spent ten hours flying us to the institute on her UTH-66 Blackfoot helicopter and the ConDef raid on the institute itself had already been in motion. There was already a force of local Chrysalis units posted outside the MIT's frontal vicinity. Waiting for our arrival.

Lynch had been picking up news feeds about the situation as well as distress calls from inside the building. The news feeds were coming from the local, FOX, CNN, and every other news network live. Just like the Seattle and San Francisco attacks as well as every other ConDef activity flooding the media the in past two weeks.

 _"_ _After weeks of conflict with ConDef, another precedented incident involving the British terrorist front has occurred in Cambridge, Massachusetts…_

 _"…_ _the death toll of the MIT raid marks at least one-hundred and thirty out of the four-thousand at the beginning of this major incident…"_

 _"…_ _at least two dozen are reported to be held hostage as dozens of other are reported kidnapped…"_

"It's all over the news, ladies," said Lynch in her cockpit. "The MIT alright. At least two dozen Chrysalis men on blockade duty. Let's not keep them waiting. They must want us bad."

"I'm receiving an incoming transmission," said Lynch's co-pilot.

"Let's hear it," I said.

 _"_ _Can anyone hear this?!"_ A voice cried on the transmission. _"This is Suzy Nelson. Dean of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. We need immediate assistance! ConDef is attacking the facility! They're after my students!"_

"This is Commander Madsen of Fireteam Valor," I respond. "We have orders from Admiral Penske to arrive at the blockade on direct approach."

 _"_ _I know. I can see the authorities outside the front courtyard."_

"Any suggestions as to how we can get inside?"

 _"_ _Unlikely. ConDef has blocked all the exits and are watching the windows too."_

"Any alternatives?"

"There is an underground entrance that can take you to one of our generator rooms."

"Alright, we'll infiltrate from there with my team and a few other men."

"What's the plan here, Commander?" Cayce asked. "Or should I be asking the captain?"

"Cage, I think we know what to do," I said.

"Alright, Valor," said Cage. "Listen up. Before we go anywhere, we get down there to that blockade for a sitrep of the situation and then come up with the plan. Underground may always sound like a subtle approach until they expect that too. We have our orders. Infiltrate the institute, exfiltrate the hostages, discover ConDef's plot for their raid, and take it from them before they do. Understand?"

"Understood, Captain," said Kristine. "Let me know when you need a medic."

Lynch lands the helicopter in the courtyard near the blockade. Where Chrysalis troops, vehicles, and the press are standing by the front entrance. Waiting for our arrival. I'm in the mood for anyone but reporters in this war brought to Cambridge. May have to deal with a couple for a comment or two when I get off this chopper.

As soon as the chopper lands, Lynch wished us good luck and the five of us hop out to approach the blockade. One of our soldiers from the blockade see us hopping out and informs his unit of our arrival.

"Valor Team is on sight," he said on his comm. "I repeat, Valor Team is on sight."

We walk closer to the blockade past the blockades stands and yellow tape and there one reporter with a cameraman approaching us. Why am I not surprised? The cameraman shoots his camera on us as the journalist walks up to Cage with his microphone for a comment.

"Excuse me, sir," said the journalist. "Can you confirm the real situation involving the ConDef raid on the MIT?"

"I ain't confirming jack shit until we get in there," replied Cage. "Now beat it."

There were a couple of news vans parked by the military trucks meaning more reporters to dodge. Luckily, we were able to meet up with Captain Desean, the blockade unit's leader before meeting with anyone else as ordered by Penske.

"Captain Desean, Captain Cage. Fireteam Valor. We have orders from Admiral Penske to deal with crisis at the institute. Whadda we got here?"

"ConDef has tangos everywhere in the building," reported Desean. "Every entrance is covered with infantry. There's also snipers on the windows and rooftops too. They'll shoot down anyone setting foot inside the facility. They've taken over the place for at least five hours since."

"How 'bout the hostage situation?" I asked. "Anyone harmed?"

"At least a few hundred civilian casualties. A dozen or two hostages. No one's getting inside undetected with lookouts standing guard."

"We got transmission from the dean inside," said Cage. "She said there could be a sewer entrance below where we can enter from one of the breaker room if possible. Best case scenario, no one's watching from there. It could take time but it's subtle."

"If that's your idea, sir," said Desean. "Be our guest. You can bring some of my men inside if need be."

"No, too risky," I said. "It'll be safer if it's just the five of us inside. You can go on our signal when ready."

"Agreed, like you just said. No one's getting inside with those snipers afoot."

"Do what you think is best," said Desean. "All that matters is that those hostages are rescued and ConDef is out of the equation."

"Any idea as to why they're really here and why they're taking students and staff?" Cayce asked.

"None," replied Desean. "No one will until someone finds a way in. If you all got a plan, it's best you get going and finish this. We got no time to lose."

"Alright, Valor," said Cage. "You heard, Desean. Let's stick to the plan and infiltrate the institute. Above all, protect the hostage and find out ConDef's main objective. You all know what to do."

"Understood, Captain," said Cayce.

"Yes, sir," said Kristine.

"Aye, aye, Captain," said Flint.

"Then let's move out," said Cage. "Madsen, take point. We're counting on you here."

"With pleasure," I said.

* * *

Warren – Age 20 (POV)

Brooke – Age 21

July 20th, 2017

2:27 PM

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

 **5 hours earlier...**

After a long two weeks into touring for the MIT orientation with Brooke, our last day was here. And on this last day of orientation with Brooke, we together got to sit down in the assembly room with other orientees and watch a presentation of a special project from one of the top technicians employed at this institute. Dr. Ethan Brainer, curator of the project and instructor for the Rare Earth Element class. A course Brooke and I thought about enrolling ourselves into that had yet to be determined for us.

The two of us find a seat somewhere above the room for the best seats in the house. After what we've seen at this institute, this place may just be better than the university in Denver.

"Best seats in the house," I said. "Am I right, Brooke?"

"So what is this rare earth element we're seeing again?" Brooke asked.

"Eternium, the rarest earth element yet. And what they're presenting is the reason I thought about joining MIT together."

"All this traveling from Denver to Cambridge for this? Why not just stay where we were first accepted?"

"Because Brooke, there's no other place such as MIT that can achieve this shit. None. I'm sure this presentation will exceed your expectations."

"I hope so. There are sure better things for us to do here for a private institution. I can certainly learn how to find better resources for the drones I build."

"You've been building drones your life even before Blackwell. It's not like you don't know all your resources by now."

"I do. But I may have more freedom to test drones in more areas than I did before. I just hope whatever this Eternium is, it's worth it."

The time had reach 2:30 and as soon as everyone was seated, the institute's dean came on stage to speak on the podium. Everyone gave the dean an applause before she spoke.

"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen," she said on the mic. "Welcome to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. My name is Suzy Nelson. Dean of the MIT. I am of proud service to be speaking to our future students who will be joining us at this institution. Before we can proceed with our final orientations, I would like to introduce to you all our top instructor of Rare Earth Elements at MIT and guest curator of MIT's special project. Please welcome, Dr. Ethan Brainer."

The crowd gave MIT's best instructor a round of applause as Dean Nelson left the podium and Dr. Brainer entered. Then Brainer spoke on the mic as everyone settled down.

"Thank you, thank you," he said. "I'm Dr. Ethan Brainer. Some of you may know me for my reputation here at MIT. For those who don't know well about me, that's what I'm here for. I have dedicated my life here at this institution studying the rarest of the Earth's elements beyond the periodic table as well as teaching my students above and beyond. As an example of my work, I'd like to present to you our utmost quintessential and one-of-a-kind project here at MIT yet. Involving our supremely unimaginable discovery of the rarest element introduced older than age of the dinosaurs. I give you all Eterni-"

Before Dr. Brainer could finish his sentence, noises were heard from outside the room. Sounds of screaming and gun shots heard from behind the exits. Everyone's heads were turning including mine. My heart was beginning to race. Is this for real? Is this what I think I was hearing?

People were standing up off their seats in a panic. The instructor on stage stood there petrified in fear. The last time I heard gun shots on a campus, Blackwell became a slaughterhouse and bloodbath of Chrysalis soldiers. I knew something was going down that wasn't going to end well for us.

"What the hell is that?" Brooke wondered.

Than bam! The doors to the room were kicked down by men with guns. Soldiers with guns unloading them on everyone in the room. Now everyone inside screamed in terror the second the first round of gun fire was shot by the soldier's rifles. And I think I knew who these people were.

 **Note: And that's the beginning of my next side plot for David's story folks. You knew this was coming and you knew how it would all go down. Happy Father's Day to every loving father and to all your loving fathers around the world! I'm having a barbeque with my family for Father's Day weekend and I hope you all have a nice Dad's Day weekend too.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**

 **P.S. Looking forward to The Last of Us Part II anyone? The E3 gameplay trailer was phenomenal, through the roof, and brutal as fuck!**


	5. Castle Camelot

Chapter 5 Castle Camelot

Cayce

July 20th, 2017

7:44 PM

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

As David takes point and leads us into the sewer system taking us to the breaker room, I follow his lead with the rest of Valor Team to sneak inside the MIT facility past the frontal ConDef defenses keeping everyone else out. We enter the breaker room where they may have shut the power down for this place, then take the exit out of the room that takes us into a dark hallway. Guards have to be patrolling the halls by now, so we proceeded with caution as routinely as we could.

We kept out flashlight and suppressor attachments on our guns at all times to scan the halls and watch our corners. We weren't using night vision this time since we had to conserve the battery life. Our first hall and first few corners were clear, but we'd soon catch on to ConDef guards shortly.

"Lynch, keep the choppers in position," said Cage on comm. "Including yours. We'll be back with students and staff before you know it. Can't believe we gotta rescue more college kids too."

 _"_ _Wilco, Captain,_ " said Lynch. _"Can't believe they'll be more kids on my bird either. Lynch out."_

 _"_ _Commander, Captain, this is Dean Nelson. I'm locked in the security room and can see your team on the monitors. There are ConDef troops outside the door. They're trying to break in!"_

"Sit tight, ma'am," said Cage. "I think we're almost to you. Hang on."

The five of us enter the next hallway and see two ConDef soldiers attempting to kick the door to the security room open. Before they could catch us approaching, David and Cage set their weapons free on them and take them out with headshots. The security room door was secure.

"Nelson, we're clear," said David. "It's us!"

We open the door to the room and the dean aims a shotgun at us. We withdraw our weapons to come in peace as Nelson withdraws hers. Just before she could pop a shell into our skin.

"Commander, thank you," said Nelson with a sigh of relief. "Admiral Penske always said you were the best. And with ConDef coming for my students, I need the best."

"You knew the Admiral?" David asked.

"It's a long story. To make it short, him and go back from Oregon where we grew up."

"How many of you are there?" Cage asked.

"Fewer than twenty. Most were newcomers part of the orientation we held today. Many others were either killed or escaped when they attacked. Others are being held hostage. Everyone started running for their lives when gunfire was being shot at us. We didn't stand a chance."

Nelson walked over to the monitors and sat back down to check on them as we questioned her. Perhaps she of all people could understand the situation at hand in the last five hours of being trapped here.

"How did you know Admiral Penske so well?" I asked.

"We've know each for - god how long has it been?" Nelson thought. "Forty years back in high school. Blackwell Academy was the school we went to. We've been close to one another since, but we eventually parted ways."

"Why does everyone we meet go to Blackwell?" I wondered.

"Him and I with the rest of my team were in Seattle when ConDef hit," said David. "He's a good man and a good leader."

"I've heard the news," said Nelson. "Everyone has. Didn't hear from him though. He's alive?"

"Alive and fighting. He's currently on the USCC Oregon commanding the first fleet and leading the resistance movement right now."

"Good, if we get out of here…well, just tell him to stay alive."

"What have you been up to as of late that got ConDef here to begin with?" Kristine asked. "Why are they here? What do they want from you?"

"To be honest, it's a complex story. I overheard the guards talking a lot about this top special project our engineers and technicians have been conducting for months. One of Rare Earth Element projects. The Eternium project to be specific."

"The Eternium project?" David thought. "What's that?"

"Don't know many of the details. I'm only the dean. You'll have to ask Dr. Brainer. Our curator for the project and instructor for Rare Earth Elements. If he's still alive in here, he'll be the right person to ask."

A communications radio in the room was going off with static and Nelson attempted to respond. She picked it up to know who was still alive and trapped here.

"Hang on," said Nelson. "I've been trying to get communications working."

 _"_ _This is Fuller! There are students trapped in Bush Hall! ConDef troops has us boxed in! They're closing fast-"_

The communication cut back to static before the man on the radio could finish. Must've been the campus's security perhaps if some are still around after the raid. Couldn't imagine if there was.

"Dammit!" Nelson snapped.

"Bush Hall?" David asked.

"Back out the door and down the hallway. I can get the security gate open."

"We'll bring them back here and make a run for the choppers."

"Thank you, Commander. I'll stay put. With luck, I can regain control of some of our systems."

* * *

Alex

July 21st, 2017

5:29 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

Castle Camelot Museum

While Dad had left with our rental vehicle for a getaway vehicle, my little cousin and I lightly sneak our way past the ConDef goons in order to get inside the castle. Assuming Fernando, Kristen, Frank, and Rachel weren't in any danger. Despite no response from them for the reasons unknown. Possibly captured or killed by ConDef. I vote captured for optimism.

Max and I entered the castle through the hole Alkaline's men just blew through. Still laying low from any of them with none of them sighted yet upon entry. We knew they'd be in here and we knew they'd be close. We just had to regroup with the others, find that shard, and get the fuck out of here.

"Dammit, still can't reach either one of them," said Max on her phone. "Something is definitely not right."

"How long 'til this place opens?" I asked.

"We've got a few more hours before the tour buses start showing up."

"Then we better hustle. Cuz the authorities still gotta figure out ConDef is here too. Wall's been blown."

"Okay, so we know we're not the first ones here."

"As long as Joanna, Alkaline, and Ares think we're dead, we've got the element of surprise. Let's not waste it."

"Right, so we sneak in and find out where they're hold Rachel, Frank, Kristen, and Fernan."

"If they're holding them."

"Glass half full, Alex?"

"I'm just saying these guys don't seem like the hostage taking type."

"Let's just go with best case scenario for now, okay? We rescue Rachel and Frank with Fernando and Kristen and the six of us sneak back out."

"Yeah, right. Sneak back out."

"It could happen."

"Mm-hm."

The first room we enter is one completely occupied by armed ConDef guards everywhere. We immediately take evasive action hide ourselves behind a corner before we're caught.

"Ah, shit!" Max hissed. "Already?! Ugh, just what we needed."

"How many are in here?" I asked.

Max scanned the room with her time vision to identify every guard in the room around every corner. The room was packed with ConDef on every floor top to bottom.

"Too many," said Max quietly. "Do we really want to take on this many?"

I turn my head away from Max to see an open window where we could escape without detection. And that's where we go to next.

"Let's get out that window," I whispered. "We'll leave these guys be."

We stealthily sneak out through the window like sneaking out of the house away from the guards where we were safe. The window takes us outside a little courtyard where the moonlight shined. There weren't any ConDef posted in the area, but our safe wouldn't last long. We had to hustle.

Max found a door to get back indoors where there was lock cuffed to the nob. She shoots it open with her pistol so we could step inside. We walk inside back indoors across some halls down to another locked door to get through only this time, it was locked from the outside and there was no way to shoot it open.

"Ah, its locked," said Max pulling against the door. "Of course."

"Why don't you wait here," I said. "I'll see if I can do anything about it."

While Max waits by the door, I run down the halls to look for a way to shoot the lock from the other side. I could see light being waved around and it was a sign of guards on patrol. I hide behind the corners and take one guard out by slamming his head against the wall for a knockout. I take care of the other guards by hand by either strangling them death or giving them a knock behind the head.

When I'm around the other side, there's an open window where I can see the locked door Max was behind. She calls back to me so we could make eye contact from the distance.

"Alex, over here!" Max shouted.

"Back up, I'll shoot the lock!" I shout.

I aim carefully with my pistol to shoot the lock through the window and it breaks open with one bullet. Max is let out and runs straight back outdoors. As soon as I try to walk back out, now I was locked behind a closed door. With lock cuffed to the other side as well.

"Ah, shit, come on," I said. "Max, help me out!"

My cousin shoots one bullet on the lock to break it open and then I'm let out. Walking back outdoors with her.

"This place is crawling with soldiers," said Max. "Rachel and the others could be in real trouble."

"Where the fuck could they be?" I wondered.

The two of us walk back inside down more hallways in the castle. When walking down, we could hear more footstep from ahead just as soon as we were about to walk around a corner. But as soon as we had our guns raised on the people stumbling in front of us, they weren't ConDef guards. They were our good old pals Rachel, Frank, Fernando, and Kristen. Who all raised guns at us at first too.

We lowered our weapons with a breath of relief. Almost shooting each other's faces off.

"What the fuck," I said.

"Why aren't you in Greece?" Rachel asked.

"We were in Greece," said Max. "We came here to rescue you?"

"From what?" Frank asked.

"We thought you'd be captured."

"Or worse," I said.

"Wait, why?" Rachel asked.

"Well, Alkaline ambushed us on Mount Olympus," said Max. "And they got the Power Shard."

"Yeah, we figured they must've followed you too," I said.

"Well yeah," said Frank. "They're definitely here."

"Yeah, no kidding," I said.

"So we might want to think about keeping it down a little," said Kristen. "Where's Bryan?"

"He's out driving on the 4x4 we rented to find us a getaway vehicle on the way out," said Max. "What happened to you four? We've been trying to reach you for over twenty-four hours."

"Oh right," said Fernando. "I need to top up my minutes."

"You're using a pre-paid phone?"

"Gringa, those data plans are a complete rip-off."

Max turns her head around to every other person who couldn't pick up the phone to get an answer from them.

"What? Mine's busted," said Kristen.

"Again?" Max thought.

"And mine has to recharge," said Rachel. "So does Frank's."

"Look, just forget all that," said Fernando. "You'll never guess what we discovered."

Fernando pulled out a booklet of some kind out of his pocket and opened to the pages of interest. Assuming it was vital to our Ark of Genesis mission.

"I've got it all in here," said Fernando. "Not only did Arthur's spy network stretch all the way over here, they were all part of some hermetic cult. The British Occult Secret Service, the School of Night, the Hellfire Club, the Order of the Golden Dawn, the Order of Saint Loomis, the Herd of Whales, they're all connected."

"So people from the Saint Loomis order like King Arthur," began Max. "Merlin, Lancelot, Percival, Gawain, as well as people from the herd like Ezra Prescott…"

"…and Jeremiah Blackwell, and Christoph Carter, and even Ezekiel Blackwell, they were all in on it throughout the generations. But for them it was all about the power. Controlling their enemies through espionage, deception, fear."

"Hey, guys?" I said interrupting.

"Wait," said Max. "So Joanna and her crew-"

"Are the same secret order thousands of years on," said Fernando. "Which we already know. But here's what we didn't know. Just like the British secret service, Saint Loomis, and the herd, and so forth, ConDef was once pronounced the successor as well. And recently too."

"Really? Well, that sorta makes sense since Joanna is working with ConDef."

"Will you cut to the goddamn chase please?" I asked.

"Yeah, we really need to keep moving," said Rachel.

"Sure, sure," said Fernando. "Here, look. 'Sicut superius, et inferious.'"

"Superius…inferious…", thought Max. "As above, so below."

"That's the key to all of this."

"We need to get to the highest point of this castle."

"Thus, the stairs."

Fernando points at the direction of the stairs that are right in front of us to take. Guess I should be glad I taught Max little Latin to under the mean of the words in that booklet. As above, so below. Cliched, but provoking.

"Well done," said Max.


	6. Kicking It Old School

Chapter 6 Kicking It Old School

David

July 20th, 2017

7:49 PM

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

I still took point ahead of the team on Cage's orders. We all left the security office on my go as Nelson opened the security gate for us so we could proceed with caution to Bush Hall and rescue the hostages being abducted. We should've turned the power back on so we wouldn't have to use any flashlights or night vision, but that'd only raise one-hundred percent suspicion with the ConDef guards inside. We had to play cat and mouse if we were to play it safe and smart.

On my and Cage's command, the five of us stick to cover when incoming ConDef patrolling the halls with lights on came around our corners. We take them out with one suppressed bullet from our rifles at time until the were neutralized. Keeping up the same drill until we got closer to bush hall where the students were being held.

There was a voice on the campus's intercom that belonged to one of the ConDef operators. Speaking to everyone not ConDef to surrender to them immediately with no harm done. Promising protection when taken in. As if anyone still alive in this building were that gullible enough to trust the front after all that they've done starting this war from Seattle until now. Just music to Alkaline's ears for his sake. If he were the main threat that is. Reminding myself of Ares.

 _"_ _Commander, I just got an emergency message from one of the students in Bush Hall,"_ said Nelson on her radio. _"They're orientees who attended and they can't hold out much longer."_

"We're almost there," I responded. "Tell them to hang on. We're not going anywhere without them."

We could see signs on the walls that read "Bush Hall". The entrance had to be the door in front of us. Nelson's voice was heard on the intercom. Letting everyone know she was still alive and help was on the way and giving herself away to ConDef. At least she didn't give up her location.

"Is that Nelson on the intercom?" Cayce asked. "What does she think she's doing? She's gonna give herself away!"

"At ease, Corporal," said Cage. "People still alive in here deserve to know. Let's get inside that hall and kick some ass."

My team and I walk through the entrance into the hall and see ConDef troops rounding up students down on the floor. Catching one of them with a radio in her hand. Had to be the orientees Nelson referred them as. They all begged for mercy with their hands in the air and guns trained down on them. The institute's security who were protecting the students had been shot and killed. Leaving the students defenseless from the ConDef assailants.

As soon as we caught a perfect glimpse of the enemies and hostages with enough light, there were two hostages in the room I instantly recognized from Blackwell. A geeky girl with glasses and a ponytail with a strip of hair dye colored and a boy with brown hair and a dorky face. Lo and behold, more old friends from Arcadia Bay. Warren Graham and Brooke Scott.

"Warren!" I shouted out.

"David?!" He shouted back. Turning his head to me with recognition.

"Weapons free!" Cage ordered.

We all shot down the enemy troops round up Warren and the others avoiding friendly fire. But the enemies we shot down weren't alone. More ConDef were reinforcing around the hall and we had to keep them at bay away from the students.

"All civilians, clear the hall!" Cage instructed to the students. "Valor, keep them away from the students at all cost!"

The students including Warren and Brooke found some cover and shelter away from the speeding bullets as we laid down fire on the ConDef resistance. Cayce, Flint, and I take cover on one side of the hall. Kristine and Cage take cover on the other. Killing all the enemy infantry inbound. Too bad the fight was going to get uglier with stronger foes aside.

Tangos with thruster packs skidding across the room like lightning were advancing past the standard infantry. What was worse than fighter strikers alone was fighting them in dark corners. Luckily, our flashlights weren't the only light source. There were some lamps ConDef laid across the hall to light the area. Making it easier to pinpoint both striker and infanty. We were getting a little used to fighting deadlier foes like strikers, we knew where to hit them before zooming next to our cover with the best shooting reflexes possible.

As soon as the room was culled of hostiles making every infantry and striker a corpse, I make the finishing shot on the last hostile to secure the hall and give the students the all clear. They came out of their covering shelter once we signaled them out. It would appear the world couldn't keep me apart from Blackwell with this war undergoing.

"Suzy said she was putting out an SOS!" Warren laughed. "I had no idea the king of the Blackwell cops would show up!"

"Unbelievable," said Brooke. "First David Madsen confiscates all the drones I fly around the school and now he brings the Calvary at our service. Such a small world we live in, don't we?"

"You know these guys?" A boy asked Brooke and Warren.

"We know one of them," said Warren. "The guy in the stash. He used to be our chief of security at our old high school."

"Better make that two of them," said Brooke. "Since one of them looks to be the sister of Nathan Prescott."

Kristine blushed at Brooke's recognition. I couldn't imagine someone like Brooke would know Kris so well, but probably knew of her when her brother was still around.

My team and I approach Warren and Brooke with a happy grin on my face. Delighted to save more Blackwell lives since Victoria Chase and friends in San Francisco.

"Warren Graham," I said with a smile. "You were always the likeable of the Blackwell bunch."

"Oh, come on, David," said Warren. "A punched the living fuck out of Nathan Prescott the day he died after being attacked by him in a parking lot. I can't be that likeable."

"I wouldn't say that out loud to his sister," said Kristine. Almost offended by Warren's story.

"I know what you did, son," I said. "But I've laid aside my differences with the Prescott name since serving with one. It'd be time you'd do the same."

"I recognize you," said Cage. Referring to Warren. "You are from Blackwell. I've seen you before with David's step-daughter Chloe. Back during that foundry incident with Sean Prescott three years ago. The same week during Max Caulfield's trial and after the shooting."

"Ya had to bring that up," said Brooke.

"I was a Blackwell kid before too, you know," said Cayce. "It would appear this war inevitably can't keep us apart from Blackwell. Just kicking it old school."

"I guess saving Blackwell lives is the best part about this war," said Flint. "Because those are the lives that must matter the most, right?"

"So, what's your angle in wearing a Chrysalis uniform?" Warren asked. "You gonna lead troops into battle? Check the perimeter?"

"We're here to rescue you," I said. "We also have a little mission of our own as well, but as of right, what's important is that we get you to safety."

 _"_ _Lynch to Valor Team, I've got ConDef aircraft inbound."_

"How long have we got?" I asked.

 _"_ _Two minutes tops, Commander. After that, there's no way we'll get past them."_

"Get the chopper away from here. We'll find another way off this campus."

 _"_ _Roger that, sir. Good luck."_

"Madsen to Nelson. The students are safe, but the choppers are a no-go."

 _"_ _Understood,"_ said Nelson on her comm. _"I might know a safe place for them to land, but I need campus wide camera access. Can you disable the ConDef security override? I believe it's placed in one of our server rooms across the labs."_

"How does camera access get us off this campus?"

 _"_ _There's a courtyard on the rear of this facility. If I can get proper access, I should get a visual on the activity going on there to make sure it's safe for helicopters. Give me back the cameras and I'll find a path to the courtyard that'll keep ConDef from boxing you in."_

Before my team and I could move forward into the facility to get to the server room, I came to check on the students for safety. We couldn't just leave them here. They were going to need protect. Perhaps I could send in Captain Desean's men in to help?

"Hey, let me know when we got a new way off this station," said Warren.

"How did you and Brooke end up in this mess?" I asked.

"How do you think? We were just a bunch of young adults sitting down in the assembly room for orientation one moment. The next soldiers with auto-rifles were shooting up the place and rounding up hostages including us. They were saying something earlier about taking us in to do their dirty work. Like any of us know how to do that. We're new here."

"How did you end up before the raid? What brings you here?"

"Brooke and I thought about transferring to the MIT for a better future and this is how we're rewarded. I initially came here for the new Rare Earth Element classes they've been setting up. I promised Brooke it'd be a better place for her too. I think we might've overheard those ConDef bozos bringing up subject related to what I came here to major in. A lot talk about the Eternium project. Maybe that's why they're here?"

"Eternium project? You know about that?"

"Sure do. Brooke and I were just sitting down in the assembly room almost six hours ago where it was being presented before ConDef shot up the place. I believe Dr. Brainer was the name of the project's curator. He's also the instructor of Rare Earth Elements. I can't tell if he's still alive in this building or not."

"Where have you, Brooke, and the others been from when it started until now?"

"As soon as the goons with guns came shooting at everyone, we ran out of the assembly room as fast as we could. Not a lot of people got out of there without being shot and killed. When the panic crowds died down, we got caught by soldiers with guns were gonna ruse us up and take us to a room to hold us hostage. Not gonna lie, I was pissing my pants the whole time. And Brooke was screaming for mercy. We were stuck with those crazy fucks for hours.

"And how did you end up in this hall?"

"We got rescued the institute's security. They helped make a break for it until ConDef killed them in this hall and recaptured us. You probably saw them get shot on the way in here. You and your team kick ass defending us. Especially with those guys in the jetpacks zooming across the hall."

"I'm glad we got a chance to talk."

"Yeah, yeah. Whenever you got a way out of here, my guys and gals will get ready to move."

I picked up my comm to radio Desean for backup.

"Madsen to Desean," I said. "We found the students taken hostage, but they're gonna need protection if we're gonna proceed with the mission. Can you send backup?"

 _"_ _That's a negative, Madsen,"_ replied Desean. _"We're still being kept away from the snipers. And we've got reports of enemy helos making a patrol around the building. Unless the way you came inside is safe."_

"If it wasn't safe, Captain, we wouldn't have accomplished our first task. Just take the sewer access west of the facility. No one should catch your team there."

 _"_ _Wilco, Commander. I'll send a team in right away for civilian escort. Desean out."_

 **Note: So not only is Captain Spirit coming out in three days, but Life Is Strange 2 has been officially announced with the first episode releasing this September! I look forward to playing the prelude to LIS2 in a few days from now as I do playing the second season as I do keep writing the story that will finish Max's story the way it was meant to. I'm also seeing Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom tonight which as been receiving some mixed reviews as of late compared to Incredibles 2. I'll see how I feel about the movie when I see it.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	7. As Above, So Below

Chapter 7 As Above, So Below

Max

July 21st, 2017

5:51 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

Castle Camelot Museum

The six of us run up the stairs to find Fernando's clue from the old journal booklet in order to get to the crypt where the Reality Shard had to be. I thought back to every other secret society and organization Fernando mentioned that all had strings tied to the Herd of Whales. From the British Occult Secret Service to the Order of the Golden Dawn, all networked from the Saint Loomis order to the Herd of Whales, and every Prescott I've ever met from Seattle to Arcadia Bay were all descendants of this hermetic society.

I still wondered how ConDef was declared an organized descendant of the herd and Saint Loomis. I always knew the Prescott family tree had some sort of shady history only they could know about. It's a shame they had to lose two heirs to their society Sean and Nathan. And the last of the Arcadian Prescotts being Caroline and Kristine were the last heirs to betray Joanna's nobility. If Joanna would go as far as working with British extremist to fulfill her desperation, I could never blame her sister-in-law and niece for disgracing her against any terroristic actions upon herself. Just like her brother before her.

"We should be able to find our way into the crypts with this clue," I said. "The entrance has got to be hidden here someplace."

'As above, so below' our clue said in Latin. With our good adventurer skills and puzzle solving skills, we could never fail to find the Reality Shard's crypt. Stepping out into open air again once we were up the stairs, there was a high tower where we could spot our clue. Our first lead to find something above and below.

"There," said Fernando. "That's the highest tower."

"Okay," I said. "So we just need to make our way across-"

"Look out!" Rachel hissed.

Rachel had spotted more soldiers patrolling the castle like King Arthur's own guards. We braced ourselves for cover to remain unseen.

"Oh, shit!" I snapped.

"Mierda," said Fernando.

"Get down!"

Once we ducked under the walls, we needed a subtle approach before approach. And we needed to think of it fast.

"Now what?" Kristen sighed.

"Alright," I said. "The only way to the tower is through them."

"Great," said Alex. "Whatever happened to that 'sneak in, sneak out' plan?"

"You wha?" Fernando asked. "We can't quit now!"

"Yeah," I said. "Not when we're so close. C'mon, we'll find a way around them."

Frank scoffed.

"This has got to be the most stealth-based vacation of my life," said Frank.

The first couple of soldiers were ones below our feet to lower ground. There were too many of us to handle them all at once. So at least two or three people were going to have to be in charge of the stealth tactics Solid Snake style. Alex and I could be put in charge of taking care of all the ConDef guards. Maybe Rachel could help us too. Even though it's been some years since she's done a thing like this, I know she'll still be up to it.

There were three guards patrolling the low ground where we could get the jump on them from above their heads. I take out the first by simply leaping onto him and knocking him out on the floor as my body humped over his. Alex performs the same tactic on her guard. With one guard left, it was up to either me or Alex to take care of him. We both take care of him by simply shoving him over the ledge as he falls to the ground fatally. The two of us give the 'all cleared' signal to everyone else as they approach us from the high ground and stay behind us.

Upon advancing towards the tower where most of the guards were posted, we really needed to strategize how to get past them undetected. I use my time vision to check around all the guard post so we don't miss anything. This was like a Real Time Strategy game in stealth mode. At least six of Alkaline's men stood guard by the tower's entrance. Four guards outside the entrance, two of them inside the corridor. I turn my head to Alex to make hand gestures to her eyes to explain how we want to play this in sign language. She rolled her eye.

While two of the guards outside walked off patrolling their post to where they wouldn't spot us, Alex and I are given the opportunity to attack the other to guards head on. Giving them a punch across the face for a real good knockout. Then we give the other two guards who looked away the element of surprise by giving them a real hard knuckle smack behind their heads. It was only the two guards inside to deal with now. We gave Rachel, Frank, Fernando, and Kristen the heads up to come closer and stay behind.

The way we were able to deal with the guards inside was by hiding behind small walls they were leaning against, snatching the from behind, and karate chopping them in the forehead as we pinned them. The coast was clear from all fronts and we signaled our four other companions to get inside as they got behind us.

Once inside the tower, there was a small stairwell through a wooden door we could use to get to the top. I guide everyone up the stairs to follow me up to the roof of the tower. That way we'd be able to find our clue using the stars. Alex did mention earlier back in the 4x4 that Arthur and his knights as well as Ezra and his crusaders had to use the stars to find this castle. That's what we were going to do find the Reality Shard's hidden crypt.

The six of us were now all on the roof of the tower where we could see the moonlight and stars at night as bright as day. Even when it had reached six in the morning, the sun wouldn't rise for another hour in Italy when the tour busses would be arriving. So we had no more time left to lose to do our thing.

"Up here," said Fernando.

"Hey, keep us covered," I said. "Alright?"

"Yeah, well just hurry it up, people," said Rachel. "Okay?"

"Yeah, we're sitting ducks out here," said Frank.

Fernando and I walk over on a balcony on the tower while Alex, Kristen, Rachel, and Frank stand back to watch our backs. Us two find a symbol on the floor of the balcony matching the one in the ancient journal Fernando found. Our spot to finding out clue.

"Hey, here," said Fernando. "You see? 'As above, so below.'"

"We're definitely in the right spot," I said.

"Yeah, yeah. But the right spot for what?"

"Well the knights would've hidden the entrance to the crypt somewhere in plain sight."

Fernando had a little telescope with him to see in the distance. Looking back at the symbol, I may have understood something we were missing from the picture.

"Wait a sec," I said.

I still had that Eternal Cartographer map with me. I pulled it out to find the same symbol on the floor marked on the cartographer.

"Yeah, look," I said. "That same symbol appears on Ezra's map. Right next to this."

"Of course," said Fernando. "Ursa Minor. The North Star."

"The one fixed point in the night sky."

"So if we follow that down to the castle…"

"Whaddya bet it points out to our hidden entrance? Can I see that?"

"Yeah, yeah. I want it back though."

I hold Fernando's scope next to my right eye to spot the stars of the right constellation. If learned anything about star gazing as a kid, it would be that the Big Dipper faces down and the Little Dipper faces up. I could see Ursa Major, the Big Dipper, through my looking glass turning my head upwards. And next to it, Ursa Minor, the Little Dipper. I scan the constellation downward to where the North Star had sparked. Bingo.

"I found it," I said. "Alright, let's see if we can find that entrance. It should be directly below the North Star."

I move my head and eye directly downwards below the star and see another tower in the castle directly under it. With a door between two statues on the tower that must be our crypt entrance.

"There it is," I said.

"Well that's hidden in plain sight alright," said Fernando.

"Um…guys!" Rachel snapped.

"Yeah, just a minute!" I snap back.

"It can't be that simple, can it?" Fernando wondered.

"Max!" Frank snarled.

"What?!" I responded.

"RPG!" Alex warned. "Twelve-o-clock!"

I turn my scope over a little to see two ConDef troops with one of them armed with an RPG. Ready to aim and fire. As soon as the rocket was fired, I was jumped and the six of us immediately jumped off the tower from the balcony right before impact.

"Look out!" Kristen warned.

"Get down!" Alex yelled.

The six of us of us run across the castle's wall roof just as soon as the explosion was set off from the rocket destroying the balcony. We didn't have the proper weapons to handle the demolition men. So we ran as fast as we could to avoid the rocket fire.

"Run for it!" Fernando hollered.

The man with the RPG I had just seen on my scope wasn't the only demolition man posted. There were men with RPGs posted on every rooftop firing rockets left and right. There wasn't going to be any escape for us retreating from the RPGs and at this point, Alkaline and Joanna must know we're still alive and Ares know that I've recovered from our first meeting back in Greece. And they'd do anything to extract us away from the picture together.

"Ah shit!" Frank cried. "Come on, people! Hurry the fuck up!"

"These guys are fucking insane!" I shouted.

I could see and feel rockets being hit against the walls blowing them into chucks like they were Lego bricks. It was like fighting in a trench in a warzone even though I've never fought in one. Imagine this at Blackwell from the shooting three years ago. Not very many people would survive this.

Another rocket hit the wall and caused an explosion after another. ConDef weren't necessarily know for subtlety, but this was a bit oppressive destroying a castle museum just to make sure we don't live. Even by ConDef standards alone.

"Oh Jesus!" Rachel shouted after the last explosion.

"What the fuck's wrong with these guys?!" I bickered. "They're destroying this place! Keep moving!"

The loud combustions blowing up next to me nearly makes me go deaf as they do nearly get me killed. I had hoped the cacophony wouldn't last much longer.

We reached another rooftop where a wire was hooked to the wall and Dragunov sniper rifles were lying around for use. We could use the wire to zipline our way off the roof and escape the men with the RPGs, but not before they were dealt with first.

"There!" Kristen pointed. "There's a wire! We can zipline across!"

"Not while they're firing at us we can't!" Fernando barked.

"There's sniper rifles lying around!" Alex pointed. "Someone take one and use it to shoot those fucktards down!"

"You can count on me!" Rachel prevailed.

I figured Rachel would take the bait with the snipers. I always knew how much the best marksmen in the business can be even after three years on hold. This was no time for a performance review. Rachel takes a rifle and I as well take one to help. Even though my sniping skills weren't as profound as hers.

The two of us look though our scopes to aim our crosshairs at the demolition men and cut them down like cheese with one bullet. Rachel snipes the RPG men posted on the left, I had the ones posted on the right. Until now, I've only just realized something about myself shooting people. I'm so used to using guns and defending myself, I'm no longer that girl in the junkyard shaking herself with an empty magnum. Aimed directly at a skeevy drug dealer who is no longer. I don't pleasure myself using guns, however. Only endure myself using them.

After all the RPGs were neutralized, it was time for the six of us to bail out and zipline off the roof. Assuming we had shot down the last of them.

"Come on," I said. "We gotta move. Now!"

Rachel and I put down our rifles and line up with others to zipline across the wire. We would use our pistols as our hooks to slide across the wire. Alex was the first in line to do just that.

"Ready?" She asked. "Let's go!"

As Alex slid down first, Rachel and Frank slid down after her. It was only Fernando, Kristen, and I who need to go and zipline down next.

"Right," said Fernando. "It's all clear. On the wire!"

But before any of us could zipline down, there was still one RPG guy we missed who fired directly at us. As soon as the rocket blew up in our faces, the three of us flew off the roof and landed a few feet down on lower ground with our backs. Before I was blacked out, there was ringing in my ears that deafened me from the explosion. And then we were knocked out from the shock.

 **Note: So I've just played The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit yesterday and it was a cute little addition to the Life Is Strange series. Right before Life Is Strange 2 is released this September where Chris Eriksen could be our next protagonist. With a little power of his own as seen in the game.**

 **I'd also like to announce that I'll be heading out of town this weekend for Los Angeles to go to Universal Hollywood Resort and Disneyland. So I may right a little while I'm gone, but I may not post another chapter until I'm back in town. Your understanding and convenience is appreciated.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	8. Eternium

Chapter 8 Eternium

David

July 20th, 2017

8:05 PM

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

I take point down to the server room across the labs where we were to regain security access for the dean to receive every surveillance feed campus wide. This made me think back to when Michelle Grant, the Blackwell chemistry teacher, proposed a petition to take down all the security cams around the school four years ago. In situations where the MIT is now, it was the reason I was right to keep the security equipment installed. Making me even more proud to tear Ms. Grant's petition. After all, no one could forget the unlawful school shooting targeting Max Caulfield. Thanks to Sean Prescott and secretly Derrick Crosby.

As soon as the five of us stepped inside the server room, I made a gesture with my finger to move up and check our corners. Or should I say check perimeter as a good old security chief used to say in his Blackwell days and Afghan days. We split around the room to look around for a drive that could retain security clearance for Dean Nelson. I was the one that ended up finding a drive that could reactivate the feed and that's what I did.

"Nelson, you should have access now," I said on my comm.

 _"_ _Got it,"_ she responded. _"The fastest way is through the atrium. But ConDef has sealed the doors. You'll need to disable the security gates. The override should be on one of those drives."_

"Here it is," said Kristine. "Right here. Got it."

Kristine found the override first and activated in on the drive she found. Then Nelson notified us on comms that the gates were open.

 _"_ _You should be able to get past the gates now,"_ said Nelson. _"I can see them opening on the monitors. I'll try to get to the courtyard outside for evacuation. I'll be waiting for the choppers there."_

 _"_ _Desean to Madsen. My team and I managed to safely take the scenic route inside the institute and found those students of yours. We're ready to escort them out of here when you are."_

"Understood," I responded. "Get those students to the courtyard for evac and if you see Dean Nelson, make sure she gets out safely too."

 _"_ _Everyone be ready!"_ Desean instructed the student civilians on his open channel. _"Stay behind us while we draw their fire."_

 _"_ _Hey, David, it's Warren."_

I had given Warren a radio to communicate with my team and I in case they were in distress and unprotected.

 _"_ _I just wanted to say thanks again for the help,"_ he said on his comm. _"Now that we've got another team with guns, we couldn't have done this without you."_

"You're welcome again, kid," I said. "Just make sure you, Brooke, and they orientees stay behind Captain Desean and do what he tells you."

"A good strategy that protects the students from direct fire," said Kristine.

"Just make sure the kids are out of the line of enemy fire and keep them safe," said Cage. "We're gonna need all the backup we can get to achieving our objectives."

 _"_ _You all heard Valor Team,"_ said Desean. _"Stay behind us and keep a low profile. We didn't just bust our asses in here so that would could have civilian casualties on our consciences."_

Suddenly, and open ConDef channel was triggered campus wide. Contacting every student alive in the facility through their phones, radios, and the intercom.

 _"_ _Students of MIT, the facility is sealed. The Chrysalis soldiers cannot save you. All they can do is get you killed. Surrender peacefully and you won't be harmed."_

"Pffst, asshole," said Cayce.

 _"_ _Dammit, they're messaging everyone!"_ Nelson warned. _"Students, turn off your cellphones so they can't track you!"_

 _"_ _What if…what if they're not lying?"_ Brooke said through our channel.

 _"_ _Don't be naïve, ma'am,"_ said Desean. _"All they want to do is get you bagged and kidnapped like all they other students. Now turn off your phones and stay behind us. Let's go."_

Suddenly, we hear banging sounds from somewhere inside the room. A voice crying for help as the banging was heard with it.

"Somebody's here," said Cayce.

The five of us investigate the sound inches away on Cage's orders. The voice appeared to have been coming from inside a metal crate with an electronic lock attached to. I open the crate with lock to reveal a man inside begging for mercy not to hurt him as he was coming out.

"Please, don't hurt me!" The man cried.

"Okay, come on out," said Cage.

The man did as he was told to do as Cayce helped him out and checked his pockets. Then started questioning him with his gun on him.

"This institute is link to a known terrorist," said Cayce. "You start talking or I will hurt you."

"My name is Ethan Brainer," the man introduced himself. "I'm an elemental engineer technician."

"Yeah? And what is, uh – ConDef's interest in you, buddy?"

"They came here for the Eternium. It's a new rare earth element that will render all existing information technologies obsolete. If you help me get out of here alive, I'll tell you everything."

"So you're the curator for this Eternium project Nelson spoke of," I said. "Is there a reason they locked you up in here?"

"They wanted me here alive in order to process the Eternium for them," said Brainer. "And it's true. I am the curator for the project as Nelson must've told you."

"And since they've kept you alive," said Kristine. "Is it any coincidence they're here for the Eternium or did you know they'd be here?"

Voices were heard outside the server room. ConDef soldiers that must be tailing our movement here. It was time to bail.

"They're coming," said Brainer. "Get me out of here alive and I'll tell you everything!"

The five of us quickly exit the server room to safely escort Brainer out as two ConDef men spotted us. We reacted quickly by giving them a clean shot to the gut and killed them flat before they could shoot us. My team and I escort Dr. Brainer through the hall down the route to the atrium and started questioning him more about the Eternium.

"Okay, doc," said Cage. "Tell us more about this Eternium of yours and why ConDef needs it so badly."

"As I've explained," began Brainer. "It's an REE that can that can read trillions of info across the globe from military, political, personal, or whatever intel on particular infrastructures possible. Here at MIT, I was showcasing the element for the future of our academics at this institute."

"And did you know at all they might come after this special element?" I questioned.

"Yes…and no. It's a complex story that I can explain when I show you what they came after."

"And where is this Eternium exactly?" Cayce asked.

"In the assembly room. Just across the atrium dead ahead."

As soon as we were inside the atrium, it looked dead empty compared to all the other rooms in the facility. So quiet. Too quiet. I wasn't liking it. Either ConDef was posted here or we were walking into an ambush. We kept our guard up no matter what.

We check every corner of the ground floor of the atrium where we stood. Nothing here We scanned the upper floors over the railings to see if any guards were posted above us. Nothing to see there. We needed Brainer alive if we were to get as far as retrieving the Eternium and knowing it's true capabilities.

"So quiet down here," said Flint. "You think there'd be ConDef guarding an atrium of all places."

"Keep your guard up no matter what," said Cage. "Could be an ambush."

 _"_ _Valor Team, I found my students with that team you sent in,"_ said Nelson on her radio. _"We're right inside the atrium above you."_

"Above us?" I asked. "Where?"

 _"_ _Up here, David,"_ said Warren on his radio. _"To your left."_

We turn our heads leftwards and see Warren waving his hand next to Brooke on the second floor with his radio in hand. Seeing Captain Desean and team, the other students, and Dean Nelson with them.

"Nice work, Desean," I said.

 _"_ _I've ordered some choppers for evac,"_ said Desean. _"But it looks like the courtyard may be a bit too hot for them to land. ConDef are occupied there and enemy helos are on patrol. You'll have to deal with them before we can get these students to safety."_

"You know us, Desean," said Cage. "The pride team of Chrysalis is at your service. Just try to reach that courtyard while you still can. We've got a little objective of our own to be dealt with first."

 _"_ _Dr. Brainer? Is that you?"_ Nelson asked. Spotting MIT's best engineer and instructor with us. _"You're alive. Where've you been?"_

"They captured me back in the assembly room," said Brainer. "This team here found locked inside the server room and I just need to take them back where the Eternium is before ConDef does. With a little protection."

 _"_ _Keep him safe, Valor,"_ said Nelson. _"But please hurry. ConDef may be tracking us to where we're going. And please, Ethan. Stay safe down there. MIT can't lose its best instructor now."_

"I'll do my best, Suzy. You stay safe as well."

My team and I exit the atrium with Brainer unharmed as we left Desean's escort team behind with Nelson and her students who included Warren and Brooke. The entrance door to the assembly room was just in front of us now and followed the doctor inside.

"Follow me," said Brainer. Letting us inside.

We all marched through the door inside the assembly room where we could see civilian bodies dead on the ground and bled out. The room was a bloodbath. Bodies of orientees no younger or older than twenty lying down as stone-cold corpses between the rows of seats. A lot of these poor locals didn't make it out of here alive for it was their last.

I can almost imagine this at Blackwell thinking back to the shooting four years back. Except there were more bodies of Chrysalis raid team members then there were teenagers at the very least of that tragedy. The true tragedy of this shooting was over an REE for ConDef's sake. Even a worse than the unlawfulness of Blackwell's shooting of 2014.

"All these poor young adults," said Kristine. "Massacred in an orientation over an REE. Another treachery ConDef will answer for."

"I think I'm going to be sick," said Flint.

We kept following Brainer past the bodies up towards the stage where he opened the curtains and revealed the Eternium project to us. As the curtains were opening, we could see the rare earth element itself contained in a glass cylinder display. Brainer opened the glass display to take it in his hands define the meaning of the Eternium. The REE itself was incased inside a small metal chip as it was held in Brainer's fingers.

"Quantum entanglement," said Brainer. "This single device has more processing power than your entire military infrastructure."

I take the Eternium chip from Brainer's hand to observe it myself. Listing to more of what Brainer had to say.

"Rumors around the lab were that ConDef plans to use it as a basis for a massive terrorist attack," continued Brainer. "I heard talk of something called 'Ares'. It may be the name for the super weapon."

"And how did anyone come by these rumors?" I asked. "I thought this was a private institution? Not a weapons facility."

Brainer sighed.

"I guess now I have a confession to make," he admitted. "One of our engineers may have been hired by ConDef who had been snitching them information on what Eternium can do. When I learned about this, he had been speaking a lot about Elias Alkaline this codename 'Ares'."

"Hold on," said Cayce. "You knew this institute was being endangered and by ConDef over a snitch and didn't even warn anyone about it?!"

"It's because I'm the snitch, okay?! I confess! I endangered this institution and costed a lot of innocent lives for it! No one can know what I had done! Ever! Please, I can still help Chrysalis with everything on this element to turn the tide of the war ConDef started."

Cage aggressively seized Dr. Brainer by the arm. Now understanding he was responsible for setting the MIT up with ConDef.

"I don't think that's your decision to make, doc!" Cage snarled. "Maybe we'll take you into Chrysalis custody and maybe Admiral Penske will decide your sentence here."

Cage released Brainer with aggression. Pushing to the side an each. We were already disgraced with the doctor already.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But it doesn't matter. If Alkaline and ConDef uses an Eternium worm to initiate an attack, there will be nothing anyone can do to stop it. I couldn't stop it."

Suddenly, a bullet flickered through Brainer's throat. Causing him to choke on his own blood, gurgle his blood down his lips, and drop dead on the floor. We immediately shift our heads towards ConDef soldier storming the room in an ambush. The five of us open fired on the soldiers before they could shoot any of us down too.

Once we ran for cover behind the seats from the inbound enemy infranty, he had to leave Brainer recently deceased body behind. Still bleeding from the bullet wound to the neck. So much for keeping himself. Nothing we could've done. At least the Eternium worm was in our hands now and Brainer's fate was already sealed by ConDef's sentence.

"Behind us!" Cayce shouted. "We got incoming!"

"Madsen, get a sitrep on the escort team!" Cage ordered.

"Madsen to Desean!" I spoke loudly under fire. "Requesting status on extraction of the dean and students! Desean, come in! Dammit, no response!"

"We'll fight our way out with or without them!" Cage shouted from his cover. "This ain't over yet!"

 **Note: Well, I'm back from Los Angeles, everyone! And no, not from my Santa Monica Dream, but from Universal Hollywood and Disneyland. Got a Jurassic Park garb and a Captain America shield as my souvenirs. So I'm back to writing and posting this latest chapter. And since tomorrow is the forth of July, a national holiday in my country, I'll wish everyone in the US a happy July the 4** **th** **!**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	9. Breadcrumb On the Trail

Chapter 9 Breadcrumb On the Trail

Max

July 21st, 2017

6:13 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

Castle Camelot Museum

Waking up from a dusty landing, my ears ring from the blast and I cough out the dust from the debris caused by the RPG fire. When my sight gets clearer and my ears stop ringing, I could see Fernando and Kristen coughing it out too. I help them off their feet to make sure they weren't paralyzed from the blast or fall and their feet were still completely functional. The both shook their heads for an "okay" sign to know they could still walk.

The fact that the three of us barely survived a fatal explosion like that and now that we were split up from Alex, Rachel, and Frank, the three of them must believe we're dead already. Time to make sure they think otherwise by finding out where they went after our failed zipline attempt. I'd hate for Alex to blame herself for me dying. Kristen, Fernando, and I step out in the open air to search for the rest of the group.

"Where are they?" I asked.

Fernando turned his head up and could see our other three companions on top of another roof above. Looking back down at us as Fernando waved his arms and hands.

"Hey! Hey!" He called out. "Down here!"

"Max, Fernan, Kristen, you're not dead!" Alex called. "Thank the lord."

"You guys alright?" Frank asked.

"Yeah," I said. "We'll find a way around and meet up with you."

"Jesus Christ, Max," said Rachel. "You almost gave us panic attacks when that rocket nearly blew you up. What would Chloe say if had to tell her you died from that?"

"Stop worrying about Chloe, Rachel, and just get somewhere we can group up again. We're gonna try and get to that tower to find our clue, alright?"

"See you on the other side, cousin," said Alex. "Just be careful down there and try not to blow yourselves up again."

"We won't," I said.

Our three companions on the roof leave us to find a way back to us. Then Fernan spots something behind us.

"Hey, gringas, look!" He pointed out. "It's the tower."

Kristen and I turned our heads to where Fernando pointed and it was the tower him and I spotted on his scope before we were being bombarded with rockets. It was only a click away from us now.

"What about Alex, Rachel, and Frank?" I asked.

"They're fine," said Fernando. "Look, it's right there. We gotta check it out."

"Why are we checking it out?" Kristen asked.

"It's what Fernan and I saw below the north star earlier," I said. "Where our clue could be. We should go."

"Let's just be careful where we walk. These asshole with demolition experts are more oppressive than they look."

"ConDef is known for their brutality," reminded Fernan. "Let's just suck it up and go already. We'll do this quietly and carefully."

Since we were only less than a mile away from our destination, it only took us less than five minutes to walk there. There didn't appear to be any ConDef on duty surrounding the tower. Which is probably a good thing for now. One, they don't know our clue we found. Two, they must believe we died in that blast. At least for the half of us.

The three of us walk up a flight of steps to reach the tower. As soon as we get to the top of the stairs and see the entrance door between the two statues as seen from the scope, we were just another step closer to find the crypt to the Reality Shard. Fernando and I decided to push the door open together as Kristen stood back.

Fernan and I smile as w both opened the doors to our ticket to the Reality Shard. Except it wasn't. What we see instead are nothing but boxes and cleaning supply for custodians. Sad face.

"Oh," I said disappointingly. "This is a-"

"Si," said Fernando. "Oh. I knew it couldn't be that simple."

"Nothing is ever that simple," said Kristen. "Just another fool's errand I have to stumble upon this trip."

"Wait, wait, wait," I said. "It wasn't a storage room a thousand years ago."

"No, no, no, no, no, gringa," said Fernan. "We are missing something."

I close the doors to the storage room disguised as a tower entrance in frustration. Until Fernando decides to be helping some.

"Hey, hold on," he said. "Hold on. The statues, you see? One hand up, one hand down."

"Yeah," I said.

Fernando pulls out the journal to review further. To understand the secret meaning behind the statues.

"Look," said Fernan. "Above, below. It's the same thing again and again."

"So just another breadcrumb on the trail?" I asked.

"Well, it certainly looks that way."

"Let me see the scope again."

"Yeah, sure."

"Thanks."

"What are you going to do with a scope?" Kristen asked.

"The same thing I did back on that other tower," I said.

Before using the scope, I spotted the star symbol again. The same symbol marked on the last tower. Only a sign we're still on the right track.

"Hey, here's that symbol again," I said.

I stand on the symbol while using the scope. Understanding how to put two and two together. My eye scopes through the glass to view the castle of our final clue.

"Yeah, maybe it's not in the sky this time," I said. "But below somewhere."

"It's got to be something with the castle itself then," said Fernan. "Some sort of emblem or symbol?"

Then I see a sun-like symbol marked on a platform through my scope. Scanning the castle downward as I turned my head in that direction.

"Wait," I said. "Yeah, there."

"Ah ha," said Fernando. "As below, so above?"

"Yeah."

"Alright," said Kristen. "So now move the scope upward. What do you see?"

I move the scope upwards as Kristen said and spot more symbols on some pillars built on the structure from a higher platform. That has to be our final destination to the crypt if at all.

"Yeah, those pillars," I said. "That's gotta be it."

"Alright," said Fernando. "Let's get over there and check it out."

"Yeah, we'll meet up with Alex, Frank, and Rachel on the way."

"They're over there!" An angry voice shouted.

And so came more ConDef forces on the way to make sure we didn't get out of this castle alive. Already shooting at us and Fernan, Kristen, and I hit the deck for cover.

"Shit!" Kristen snapped. "They spotted us!"

"Ah, fuck!" Fernando yelled.

"Come on, guys," I said. "We can't stay pinned down here! We gotta move!"

Before any of us could shoot back at the advancing soldiers, RPG was fired from afar. But not at us. It fired straight onto one of the enemy infantry's firing post on a balcony. Blowing them sky high like gasoline.

"Whoa shit!" Fernando reacted. "Where did that come from?"

From a distance, I could spot our other three companions holding RPGs in hand. Aiming for every ConDef support team posted to flank us. And now they were playing the Calvary.

"Hey, it's Alex!" I shouted.

Another rocket was fired from the three of them and soon our opposing forces would get overwhelmed. Making it a fairer fight for the three of us down here to shoot back at the goons with guns.

"Alright, Alex!" I chanted.

There were still more ConDef soldiers to had with down the stairs from the tower. Fernando, Kristen, and I run down the steps as soldiers were running up the steps. I shoot one of the stairs with my pistol. Then I take the rifle of the soldier I killed and use it to get practical. By swinging the rifle from the barrel grip smack the following soldier in the head for a knockout.

And then, there were snipers up on another balcony aimed at our ground. The three of us hid for cover before they could pick us off. Until our RPG support blew the sniping ground out of harm's way and neutralized the snipers like firecrackers. The rocket fire had also blown a hole in the wall we could use to reach the pillars we spotted with Fernando's scope.

Before I could push through with Fernan and Kristen, we had seen something zooming out of nowhere in front of us. Electricity of some sort was being sparked over to corners of the perimeter. Deep down, I knew what I was in for since I first fought these types back at Blackwell. ConDef strikers inbound and rushing out of their cover like thunder and unloading their SMGs at our ground.

"Get down!" I warned.

I knew we could stay down behind cover for long. Boy, do I hate these fuckers. I'm dead cereal.

"Who the fuck are these guys?!" Fernando questioned.

Before I could answer him, one of the strikers rushed next to us past our cover and I immediately shot him down before one of his bullets could touch us. Then for a split second, I answer Fernando.

"Someone you want nothing to do with!" I shout at him.

Then the other striker advanced next to us and I instantly use my time shield to protect the three of us from the elite soldier's bullets. Then gave to him with my bullets for a quick kill. But it wasn't over yet. More regular soldiers were shooting at us behind out the cover and had to be dealt with.

I think about taking them one with my rifle while Fernan and Kristen could hold them off with their pistols, I spot a fancy looking grenade on the dead striker's gear. For a young woman with a bit more combat experience than my two companions, I reach for the grenade, activate it, then toss towards the ConDef infantry. As soon as the grenade goes off in front of them, it ignites some kind of force field energy around. Freeze framing them in time and stasis.

Whatever the grenade just did, I shoot at the frozen troopers trapped in time with the advantage of the time grenade's power. The bullets from my rifle get caught in the time bubble like paintballs and soon as the field wears down, the bullets hit the flesh of our enemies and spill the blood out of their guts. The soldiers drop dead and the area is clear. Allowing us to rejoin Alex and the others safely. I catch my breath from the fighting of strikers and infantry alike.

"God, I hate those guys," I sighed.

"There," said Kristen. "We can get to the pillars from that tower."

"Come on. We gotta meet up with the others."

Kristen and Fernan follow my lead through the hole in the wall Alex, Frank, and Rachel just blew down for us. As soon as we're at the pillars, we're finally rejoined by our separated companions in the group. Laying down their launchers as the battle had ended.

"You three alright?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, still in one piece anyway," I said. "Come on. I think we're onto something. Good to see you're alright."

"You too," said Alex.

The six of us now all back together make way for the wall with the pillar symbols. This had to be our last stop. It had to be our final key to entering the shard's crypt. But it was going to take some analyzing to even get as far as inside. Keeping my fingers crossed as we were.

"Right, here's the wall," said Fernando.

"Alright," I said. "The crypt entrance should be here someplace."

"Well, what does Ezra have to say about it?" Rachel asked.

"He doesn't," said Fernan.

Rachel laughed.

"This is as far as he got," I said.

"Well, what are our chances then?" Alex asked.

"Symbolically," said Fernan. "Two pillars are used to mark a gateway."

"Swell, which two?" Frank asked.

"And a gateway to what?" Rachel asked.

"Well, another realm," said Fernando. "A holy place, a place of initiation…"

"More specifically," said Kristen. "The crypt to the Reality Shard."

"Oh, doesn't that sound like fun," said Alex.


	10. The Middle Way

Chapter 10 The Middle Way

Alex

July 21st, 2017

6:23 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

Castle Camelot Museum

The six of us make an attempt to find the entrance by touching the walls and feeling for a hidden tile within the stonework, but with no luck. While the other five of my companions searched the front walls, I peaked in the left corner of the pillars for a clue and recommended that we all check there.

"Hey, maybe around the corner," I said.

"Yeah, alright," said Rachel.

The six of us all gather around the corner to look for a way in. Except for Fernando who wandered without us to check the right corner of the pillars. As soon as he walked to the right, a dart had flicked into his neck. Feeling it sting as soon as it was fired by the menace himself, Elias Alkaline. Appearing out of nowhere with a pistol in his hand used to fire the dart.

With the dart stuck to Fernando's neck, he began to have weird reactions to himself. As Alkaline approached the drugged Hispanic kid, Fernando pulled out his pistol and aimed it directly at the ConDef general himself inches away in his sights.

"No," said Alkaline.

Fernando was now sweating and trembling as if he were nervous or afraid of something. He couldn't even hold his gun up straight. His hands were shaking on the grip and lowered it. Biting his lip with illusion.

"Give it to me," said Alkaline.

Fernando did as he asked and turned his gun over to Alkaline's hand. Still jittery from his drugged state.

"Good," said Alkaline. "Now the journal."

Alkaline lifted his hand to reach for the journal so he could retrieve it from the mentally controlled Fernando. The drug shot in him was still making him shaky. When he took the journal out of his pocket, he could barely keep his hand and arm straight. Fernando gradually handed in the journal he found somewhere in the castle and was now in the fingers of Alkaline's with Fernando's gun.

"Thank you," said Alkaline.

Fernando slapped his check in hopeless attempts to shake off the dose from the dart. Then Alkaline stepped closer to whisper through his ear.

"Don't trust Max," he whispered.

While the five of us without Fernando was checking the left corner, Max noticed he was missing in the group and wondered where he went. She turned her head around wondering.

"Where the fuck's Fernando?" She asked.

"Who knows," I answered.

Max stepped away from the corner to discover Fernando with Alkaline. She pulled her pistol out. Alerted by Alkaline's presence. I notice Max with her gun out and I run up to her to get my gun out and aim it at Alkaline holding Fernando. Everyone rushes with me to do the same.

"No, no, no," warned Max. Holding us back her hand pausing us.

Alkaline released Fernando with a gun on him as he turned his head at us and held Fernando's journal up high where we could it and smiled. Casually walking off from us with Fernando's journal and gun in his two hands. The five of us race towards the right corner to catch him. But as soon as we point our guns in sight of the corner Alkaline took off, no one was there.

"He's gone," I said. "How the fuck?"

"Hey, Fernando, are you okay?" Max asked approaching him. "Huh?"

"Fernando?" Kristen said.

"What the hell?" Max said. Noticing the dart in Fernando's neck and pulling it out like a tac. "Look at this."

Max showed us the dart in her fingers. Now we were onto something fishy.

"Oh, man," I said.

"What kind of black ops bullshit is this?" Frank asked.

"Let's just hope he didn't have a big dose," said Rachel.

"Yeah, let's hope," said Kristen.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no," mumbled Fernando. Experiencing his drugged state.

"Oh, shit," I said.

"Easy now," said Max. "Look at me, Fernando. Right here. C'mon, we've got to move now, okay?"

"Don't touch me!" Fernando snapped as Max tried to comfort him. "Get away from me."

"Alright, alright."

"No one's touching you, Fernando," said Rachel.

"What the fuck was in that dart?" I asked.

"Your face is peeling off," said Fernando. Hallucinating perhaps.

"Well, whatever it was," said Frank. "He's tripping balls."

"Fernan, listen," said Max. "Hey, you're okay."

"Get off!" Fernando growled. Shoving everyone surrounding him in his way. "I won't let you take me."

"Hey, nobody's taking you anywhere."

"Just, just come with us," said Kristen. "Okay?"

"Yeah," said Max.

Fernando kept mumbling under his breath. I'm betting whatever Alkaline shot him with, it had to be a hallucinogenic drug from the way he's acting.

"The floor is melting," said Fernando.

My cousin and I turn to each other in concern of Fernando's condition. There was less than time to figure out how it could be treated. We were adventurers. Not doctors.

"We can't stay here," I said. "We gotta move."

"How?" Rachel asked.

"Our only hope is to find the crypt entrance," said Max.

"Great," said Frank. "Any ideas?"

"Well, Fernando was onto something," said Kristen. "I just don't know what."

"The wand of the magician," mumbled Fernando.

"Oh, man," I said. "Without his journal, we're never gonna find it."

"Just let me think," said Max. "Hermetic…from the Greek, Hermes, meaning 'pillar'…"

"I think we got that part."

"The Seven Pillars of Wisdom?"

"Between mercy and severity," murmured Fernando.

"Wait," said Kristen. "Wait, we've got this all wrong. It isn't the space between the pillars, it's the middle pillar."

"Balance," said Fernando.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"It was in Fernando's book," said Kristen. "The Pillar of Balance between the two extremes. Between black and white, water and fire, female and male. The middle way."

"The middle way," said Fernando.

Fernando's murmurs in his hallucinating state worry me more and more. Next thing I know, he'll try to jump and strangle us to death. Makes me believe he had a big enough dose to do so.

This middle way Kristen mentioned must be a word to take for given the only viable clue we had left. Understanding what the middle way meant, Max walked over to the middle pillar and pressed her hand against the symbol marked on. Then she pressed the pillar with two hands and the whole pillar could be pushed forward to reveal something.

"That's it," said Max. "Alex, give me a hand with this."

I did as my cousin asked and helped her push the pillar into the wall. As the two of us together pushed it inside, it eventually found us a way inside as we discovered it when the pillar pushed far enough for us all to step inside. And then we had done it. Finally finding our entrance to the Reality Shard's crypt thanks to the final clue Kristen hatched for us.

"Alright," said Max. "C'mon.

"And where were my Blackwell brains when I needed them," said Rachel.

Max and I let everyone inside as Kristen walked Fernando in. Still suffering from his hallucinating issue.

"No, no, no," he said.

"No, it's okay, Fernando," said Kristen. "C'mon, babe."

Max

July 21st, 2017

6:25 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

Castle Camelot Museum

I push the pillar Alex and I used to get inside back to where we pushed it to seal the entrance shut. That way none of Alkaline's men can find it as well. Got to hand it to Rachel though. Knowing her of all people with the potential brains to find this place would be the one to find this place. She and Kristen both saw Fernando's book, but I guess Kristen beat her to it. I knew how just as intelligent she used to be at puzzle solving back in Seattle. Even beat Fernando at Poker many times.

The group and I find some fire sconces inside the crypt we enter to light the tunnel. Kristen finds one to hold for herself and Alex finds one for me to hold. I was still worried about bringing Fernando in here. Whatever Alkaline did to him, it could've been more than to use him to make sure we didn't find the Reality Shard first. The drug could poison him after a short period of time resulting in death, assuming he could eventually snap out of it as it could wear off and wasn't fatal, that's only talking best case scenario.

"The way up and the way down are one and the same," he kept mumbling.

"Uh-huh," said Kristen.

"Here you go," said Alex. Giving me the sconce.

"This way," said Kristen.

Kristen and I have our torches lit for the rest of us to walk through the catacombs. Assuming Fernando could take it easy on us.

"I really don't like what's going on with Fernando, Max," said Rachel. "How much more can he take from that dart?"

"Let's just keep walking," I said. "Whatever he was drugged with, maybe it'll wear down. Eventually."

Walking through the crypts catacombs, the six of us had to squeeze through a tight space inside. Knowing how Fernando hates small spaces, it could be even worse for him in his drugged state. We had to try anyway.

"Looks like we'll have to squeeze through here," said Kristen.

"Alright, you and Alex go on right ahead," I said. "Rachel, Frank, and I will help Fernando."

"Alright," said Alex.

I let Alex and Kristen go through the space first. Fernando gets in front of me with Rachel and Frank behind me. Once Kristen and my cousin are in, Rachel, Frank, Fernando, and I step inside after them. I give Fernando a few pats behind his back just to help him balance himself through the space. Gently holding my torch straight too.

"Come on, buddy," I said. "You're okay."

"Where are you taking me?" Fernando asked.

"We're just gonna get right through here, okay?"

"Just why are you doing this?"

"You're gonna be alright, buddy."

"Stop touching me!"

"You're alright. Take it easy. Take it easy, Fernan."

"Alright, we're through!" Alex shouted outside the space. "Oh wait, there's another passage up ahead."

"Just go on!" I shout back. "I got him!"

"We'll light the way for you!" Kristen shouted.

"C'mon, gringo," I said. "We're almost there."

Fernando's mumbles seemed to be getting worse. His fear of small spaces was getting worse from his dose. Did the drug Alkaline give him made him face his fears? A fear drug perhaps? Does ConDef get their ideas from the Batman villain Scarecrow?

"This isn't looking good, Max," said Frank. "That drug is getting worse on him."

"I know you're an expert on drugs, Frank," I said. "But not the one Alkaline gave him. Stay focused."

"I can't breathe," murmured Fernando. "I can't breathe…I just…I can't breathe…I can't breathe…I've got to get out…I've got to get out…I've got to get out!"

"I'm telling ya, Max," said Rachel. "He's not gonna make it! It's already worse!"

"Will you be quiet!" I snap. "You're making it worse. We're almost there. He'll make it."

We're through the space and Fernando safely walks out catching his breath from his hallucinogenic state. Then Frank, Rachel, and I come out with him. Fernan looked sweaty from his condition. Either he was dying or he was nervous. Once Fernando caught his breath, Rachel and Frank walked ahead of me and him.

"Oh, god," said Fernando with a sigh of stress. "Oh, god…"

"Calm down," I said. "Alright?"

We had seen the passage Alex and Kristen mentioned where they must've gone down already. Rachel and Frank are the first two to go down. I decide to go down with Fernando behind. Before we could go down with them, Fernando didn't appear to be moving. I give him a pat behind his back to get him moving without him flipping out like before, but it does nothing.

"That's it," I said. Tempting to get him moving.

Fernando shakes his head and whispers 'no' beneath his breath. Then this is where things begin to go wrong for sure.

"Fernan, go on," I said. "C'mon, just one more."

"I WON'T LET YOU!" Fernando thundered. Flipping out harder than before.

The drugged Spanish kid shoved me so far away from his ass, I almost fumble and lose my grip. Causing me to drop my torch the puts out its own flames as it hit the floor. Now Fernando was furious and aggressively charged at me grasping my waste and colliding me against the wall. I was being attacked by my dosed companion who picked up a rock on the floor and was getting ready to bash my skull apart with it. Until I ducked under Fernando's strike as the rock hit the wall instead.

I shake my opponent off by holding his waist and shoving him off me. But the fight ensues.

"I don't want to hit you, Fernando!" I warned.

The two of us were now in an all-out hand-to-hand fist fight between me and him. Fernando throws a punch at me as I swift my head back to dodge it. He throws another punch at me as I dodge it and strike back with my own fist. Hitting him across the face with no option but to fight back. Maybe with a few hits he can take from me, his dosed state could wear down and he'll snap out of it.

We both dodge, punch, and kick each other like our own foes. I try holding Fernando by the shoulders to get him out of it, but he smacks my arms away as he strikes his fist towards me and I evade it and give Fernan a knuckle to his ribs and kick him away. The fight continues onward.

Fernando continuously threw his two fists in my direction as I evade in the opposite. Then I counterstrike his fist by catching it, turning his body around, pushing him to the side. And still, it's not enough.

The fight comes to its end by Fernando holding his two hands tightly around my neck like a crane claw. Who was now strangling me to death to choke the life out of me. I try calling to the other for help, but my voice stutters from the choking. My two hands around Fernando's arm for mercy as I bend down on my knees while Fernan asphyxiates the life out of me and I wrestle for my dear life.

"Fernando…no," I said with my choking breath. "Stop – Fer-"

"Fernan!" Alex screamed. Who now raced for help with Kristen, Rachel, and Frank.

Alex grasped onto Fernando around his waste to hull him off me. My other three companions surround us to try and get Fernan's attention.

"Jesus!" Frank reacted.

"What do we do?!" Rachel cried.

"Fernando!" Kristen yelled.

"He'll kill her!" Alex shouted.

While Kristen reached for Fernando's to make him look at her in the eye, Rachel helped Alex attempts to pull him off. I was almost out of breath as Fernando's hands were still latched around my throat, my hands holding his arms, and my knees on the floor. Frank pulled out his gun to try and shoot Fernan off me, but Kristen halted him.

"No!" She warned.

"Get back!" Frank barked.

"Don't! Fernando, you're killing Max! Okay?! You gotta listen to me. You are killing Max."

Kristen made Fernando look at her face my holding his head up by the cheeks with her hands. There was a sorrowful look in Fernando's eyes. As if he were finally pulling himself together and snapping out of it. And that's what he did.

At least, I am released from the murderous hands of Fernando Rojas as I catch my grip on the floor with my hands and knees and cough out the life still left in me. It feels a tarantula crawled in my throat as I did. I press my hand against my chest to hold down my heart and help keep my air pressure together and my heart rate steady. Rachel, Kristen, and Alex help me hold it together and pick me up off the floor.

Frank lowered his gun. Assured the situation was resolved. Fernando too fumbles on the floor and it would seem he had, at last, exited his hallucinogenic state. That he had. I wrap my hand around my neck to quell the pain from being suffocated by Fernando's hands. As everyone helps up on my feet and I assure everyone I still had more breath to draw, I look over to Fernando who stands there feeling guilty, embarrassed, and sorry for what was going on with him and what he did to me. As I stand back on my ground with my proper footing, I could tell Fernando was no longer hypnotized by the fear drug by the look on his face.

"Max," he said. "Max, Max, I'm really sorry. Lo ciento."

I give Fernan a pat on the shoulder to accept his apology. Understanding he wasn't at fault for trying to murder me. I breath was still just returning to normal. So I couldn't say the words out loud.

"We're even," I said.

I pick up the torch I dropped a minute ago and relit it from another fire sconce on the wall. Making my last cough for breath as I did.

"Hold on a sec," said Fernando. "You weren't…you weren't going to shoot me, hey Franco?"

"Like a rabid dog," said Frank.

"Wow."

"Let's try this again," I said. "I'll go first this time. Shit."

 **Note: Before I go everyone, stay tuned for a surprise character cameo I've decide to place in the following chapter. Can you guess what it is? Leave a review if you'd like to guess!**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	11. Atropos

Chapter 11 Atropos

David

July 20th, 2017

8:18 PM

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

My team and I survive the fighting in the assembly room and we race out back in the halls with the Eternium in my hands. The five of us clear out the remaining ConDef troops storming down the halls as Cayce finishes of the last one crawling on the floor with a single bullet to the spine from his own rifle. A pity MITs finest instructor had to die just to hand us over the Eternium. I only hoped it was worth dying for and Dr. Brainer's death wouldn't be taken vainly.

Dean Nelson contacted us again from her radio to update us on her situation on the student's protection by Captain Desean's team. Guess this is where we break the terrible news about Brainer.

 _"_ _Madsen, Cage, we've reached the courtyard without being detected,"_ said Nelson. _"They what we're up to now. You need to hurry."_

"Affirmative," I respond. "We're on way right now and we've got the Eternium in our hands. Just what we came here for. And what ConDef came here for too. And just to let you know, Brainer didn't make it. They shot him right in front us and killed him when he gave us the Eternium."

 _"_ _Shit! Sigh. Very well, Commander. He'll be missed."_

"We'll be sure he didn't die for nothing, Suzy," said Cage. "Assuming the Eternium is vital to turning the tide. Just make sure Desean is watching your asses."

 _"_ _Desean to Valor. We've just got a transmission from Admiral Penske. He's sending in an extraction team down to the courtyard and he'll be there with them. We're gonna have to clear out this courtyard first and we're gonna have to do it together to give our evac a clean LZ. ETA ten minutes."_

"Acknowledged, Desean. We're on the move to the LZ right now and we'll bring the Eternium with us. Cage out. Madsen, take point until we get there."

Across the hall, as I take point for the team, we heard more voices afoot. I order the team to move up carefully to investigate. Checking the corners as routine. The voices were coming from more civilians in distress with ConDef soldier rounding up. We had to be quick and quiet if we were to save them. The captured civilians weren't far and they were just ahead of us down the hall and to the left.

Once the civvies were in our sights, two ConDef soldiers had dropped them to their knees with their hands behind their heads and the trooper's guns trained on them. At least three innocents were needed rescuing. On Cage's command, he and I take the two soldiers out with a round to the back of their skulls and they drop to the floor dead in front of the locals. The five of us approached them together to aide them but were frightened by our presence. Unsure if we were friendly lifesavers or hostile life takers.

"I don't know who you are," said a frightened college girl. "But stay away from us!"

"I'm Commander Madsen with Chrysalis," I said. "We're here to help."

"We didn't buy it from the last guys and we've got no reason to buy it now."

"I'll buy anything from Blackwell's former security chief," said another girl less frightened the other.

My eyes lit with surprise as soon as the girl called me Blackwell's former security chief. I knew this girl. She had sleek auburn colored hair, blue eyes, and a dragon necklace around her neck. But no beanie over her head. She was one of Chloe's friends during Rachel's time in Blackwell.

"Stephanie Gingrich?" I said.

"Hello, David Madsen," said Steph.

"Steph, you know him?" A college boy asked.

"Sure do. Used to be head of my high school security after Skip left. A pain in the ass head of my high school security."

Steph's friends were now more trusting enough for my team to help them. Given my familiarity with the third former Blackwell kid I've come across on this mission yet. The all got up off their knees and accepted our help.

"I'll never hear the end of that one," I said. "Next time you try to keep yourselves safe, ConDef is the last people you go near. We've got another team extracting the Dean and more students. You can come with us to extract you. Just stay close and we'll get you out of here."

"Okay," said Steph's friend girl. "Uh, thanks."

Cage got a good look at Steph and tried to remember her, but she was never around during and after the Blackwell raid.

"I don't think recognize you from Blackwell during the raid," he said. "Did you graduate a year before or something?"

"I graduated in 2013," said Steph. "The year Rachel Amber went MIA and later presumed KIA. I know she's still alive from what I heard. Been hearing a lot of things since my family and I moved from Arcadia Bay. From that Kate girl on the roof to the Blackwell shooting to the Portland terrorist invasion and everything Chloe's been informing me from emails and text. What's angle in a Chrysalis uniform? A fitting end to your Blackwell career?"

"I get that a lot," I said. "It's a new beginning to a more ambitious career of my life is what it is. And how did you end up here? I didn't think you'd be the one with a future of technology."

"I'm not. But I did come here for orientation with my friends with some interest. I figured maybe I'd come here to learn how to design video game consoles. I also attended an orientation at Lesley where they teach art and design. Something I'd be more into."

"Has MIT been alright?"

"It's been good, I guess. I ran into Warren and Brooke earlier before ConDef began raiding the place and taking hostages. So if they're worried I'm dead, I'm still alive. Why is ConDef here anyways?"

"That's classified, Steph. All that matters is that we get the three of you out of here alive. Follow us, and we'll take you to the courtyard for rescuing."

"Sounds good. I've been pissing myself out of my pants wanting to get out of here with Johnny and Kerry."

"I swear," said Cayce. "If I have to rescue one more Blackwell graduate-"

"Can it, Cayce," I said. "Let's just get these kids out of here while we still can."

"Agreed," said Cage. "We need to get that LZ cleared for Penske's extraction team ASAP."

* * *

Max

July 21st, 2017

6:34 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

Castle Camelot Museum

I take point for everyone in the tunnels and light the way with my torch. We had to shimmy across another space that was a little wider than the last. Rachel, Frank, and Kristen got behind me. Fernando had pardoned Alex to go after him, but after what happened to Fernando and what he did to me, Alex suggests to get behind him instead.

"No, no," said Alex. "I'm not turning my back on you just yet. After you."

"Huh," said Fernando. "Oh great. Next thing I know you'll be putting that gun to the back of my head telling me about the rabbits."

"Hey, play nice, people," I said.

"Yeah, come on," said Rachel. "You're almost through."

"Come on," said Frank. "Let's move it along. They'll be looking for us."

Once we're past the space, we enter a large room that appeared to be the end of this crypt. The room featured a large globe of the Earth with statues tower above the global centerpiece. As well as unlit scones in the room with torches on the wall that looked to be used to light the sconces. I get the feeling this must be where the X marks the spot for the Reality Shard. But how do we find it and uncover it?

"Amazing," said Fernando. "Is that – is that a globe?"

"Looks like this thing should spin," I said. "Doesn't it?"

"This is more than just a crypt," said Kristen.

"Yeah," said Alex. "The whole damn room looks like some kind of ancient device."

"Where's my notebook?" Fernando asked.

"You gave it to Alkaline," said Frank. "Don't you remember?"

"Que? No, I didn't."

"Yeah, you're gun too."

"Ah, mierda."

"Alright," said Alex. "We need to figure out how to get it spinning."

"Look at these sconces," said Fernando.

"It looks like they were meant for lighting," said Rachel.

There were stairs in the room that looked like they would go up the second floor above the room. While everyone else lit their sconces on the bottom floor, I walk up the stairs to investigate the higher level to see if there was anything worth lighting. I see some wood arranged on the statues in the room with a sconce at the bottom. Had to definitely be worth lighting.

"See anything up there?" Rachel asked from the bottom level.

"Hey, I bet we can light these," I said from up here.

I light the sconce under the statue as it ignites with the fire burning the wood across it's back to its head where the wood had been stacked. The flames had projected a light through the head of the statue down to the globe down in the center. The light looked to be the shape of a country that would be marked on the globe if it were aligned correctly.

"They look like some kind of projections," said Rachel. "They're marking positions on the globe."

"Let's get the other ones lit," said Frank.

There were three other statues to be lit in the room. I walk over to the other three to light them up and make more projections on the globe. Once they were all lit, the next step had to be getting them aligned somehow. But how?

"Incredible," said Fernando. "The beams don't line up with anything though."

"Let's keep looking," said Alex.

I walk down the stairs I came up from to investigate what to do next. If there was a way to align the beam with the land masses on the globe, we would need to find it. Alex was the first person to find it.

"Hey, Max," she said. "Take a look at this."

I walk over next to Alex to see a slot of some kind with a shape to it. A rectangular shape with triangular shapes top and bottom. A shape that matched the one of the Eon Codex we had in our hands. Could it fit through there?

"It looks like something fits through there," said Alex. "What could it be?"

"Hold on," I said.

I take out the Eon Codex out of my bag to stick it in the slot. It fits through and then the globe starts spinning around gradually. Ready for alignment.

"It worked," said Kristen. "It started to spin."

"We should be able to rotate the globe now," said Fernando.

"Now we're getting somewhere," said Frank.

"Hey," said Alex. "It looks like those light projections might line up with the land masses."

"Go on," said Rachel. "Give it a spin."

I walk up against the globs and use my hand to spin the globe around in the correct shape alignment the light rays were projecting. It wasn't the same as spinning a globe you see in classrooms. It was pretty heavy to spin and it felt like it took Atlas the Greek titan spin it around. With a little muscle, I began to act like it. Once the beams were in the correct position, they appeared to be intended to project on Rome, Italy and two locations in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Islands perhaps. But that wasn't all.

Something above the room was glowing another ray of light. The six of us step back away from the globe to make way for the arrival of something emerging out of the ceiling. Something similar to Lahkesis's entrance back in Greece. In that case, I knew what was coming. Or rather who was coming. A witch-like figure transcended herself entering through the light in the ceiling that looked to be used as a portal of some kind. The strange female figure levitated herself from above the globe. She had a grimly dark appearance to herself. Wearing a crown and breast plating and had long white hair and very long nails that reached to her knees. Reminded me of the lady with the long nails from the Guinness World Records.

"So…it is true," said the witch-like figure. "The traveler has come."

Everyone's eyes were popping including mine. Everyone's jaws were dropping including mine. Just by the sight of this supernaturally female figure in her very presence before her. I knew the look of this female from anywhere. This had to be the second sister of fate herself. I can't imagine how everyone must be reacting to this now, but silence is the golden reaction to me.

"I know you," I said. "Atropos, the second sister of fate."

"Indeed, I am, young traveler," said Atropos. "Lahkesis has spoken highly of you since your first meeting with her. And until now, you've had much to learn from us."

"Max Caulfield," said Frank with a pale look. "Who the fuck are we talking too?"

"Frank, please," I said. "Let me do the talking. Where's the Reality Shard? With respect, tell me what I need to know."

Atropos smiled.

"The Reality Shard is not in this crypt," she said. "It never was. Castle Camelot was the foundation to King Arthur's Order of Saint Loomis. Sworn to protect shards and uphold their mission to the Ark of Genesis against their contenders. For those who believed the Reality Shard to be here soon discovered the fortress of Castle Camelot to be a decoy when in competition."

"A decoy?" I wondered. "What are you saying?"

"The real ossuary where the Reality Shard is placed and protected is in the Colosseum of Rome. When King Arthur and his knights were at war with the Saxons, they knew they had to make themselves scarce from what only their enemies knew. As insurance, they hid the Reality shard away from the castle and hidden into the Colosseum. Centuries later, when the descendants of the order, as you know to be the Herd of Whales, exceeded the same journey to the Ark of Genesis and learned about the true presence of the Reality as you are now."

"Ezra Prescott and the herd."

"I should be asking," said Alex. "How is it that Max and I are descendants of the Herd of Whales? Specifically speaking, that's a question that can go for Max."

"As Lahkesis may have told you," said Atropos. "You have much more history with Herd than you believe you do. As well as the Prescott and Blackwell family likewise. However, the Caulfield family in the Herd of Whales family tree was not as numbered as the families of Prescott and Blackwell. In time, your family was later defunct of the herd itself. During a contradiction between the herd and the Caulfields, they were eventually stripped of their herd status and declared rankless from the society alone. Never to be gathered into the herd again. You above everyone else, Max Caulfield, are the first ever non-instated descendant of the herd to obtain the power of time. Thus far, since your journey began in Greece, have proven worthy of yourself in the righteous path of that power."

"I don't understand," said Rachel. "What of the Eternity Shards? What about the Eon Codex? How does that help us get to the Ark of Genesis?"

"The Eternity Shards are used for more than just Ares's unfathomable goal. They are the conduits for keeping the universe at bay. The Eon Codex is the catalyst to the Ark of Genesis's power inhabited by the six shards themselves. Every one of you should know the unorthodox evil Ares wants with the shards. To render half the universe no more for his beneficial ego. You, however, must do otherwise. To use the six cosmic entities within the shards along with the codex to allow the Ark of Genesis to bring balance to the continuum of the world as you know it at bay. It would seem Ares himself has already acquired three of the six shards for his Eternity Gauntlet. He must never find the remaining three."

"Lahkesis allowed me to protect the Power Shard when we first found it ourselves," I said. "But Ares ambushed Alex and I in Greece and he took from us. I'm sorry."

"Don't ever be sorry for letting the shard slip into the wrong fingers, Max. Be responsible. There is less time to explain everything else. The Reality Shard awaits you within the crypt of the Colosseum. Go there to claim what is needed for the Great Journey upon you, Max Caulfield. My sister Clotho will be waiting for you at the Colosseum. Your humanity's only hope of winning the Eternity War against Ares and the Continuum Defense Front. Our only hope."

 **Note: So I hope you all enjoyed my unexpected cameo of a much beloved Before the Storm character! If any of you guessed it right who it would be, show of hands in the reviews! Call me JJ Abrams for the special little fan service. Another chapter of explaining the complexity and lore behind what Max and Alex must learn to win the Eternity War. Which has been my biggest challenge in completing this story altogether. Shoutout to eri101 for her interest in the universe influenced by other universes I've built for my stories. Much appreciated! As it is for any writer, generally. Saw Ant-Man and the Wasp yesterday and (mild spoiler) what an awesome setup to Avengers 4 at the end! Lol.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	12. In the Cards

Chapter 12 In the Cards

Alex

July 21st, 2017

6:45 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

Castle Camelot Museum

After the unanimous meeting with the sister of fate named Atropos, she faded into thin air as a lift from the ceiling came descending down an extended platform on the upper floor where Max went to light the statues. Must be our way out of this crypt. Knowing our trip to finding the Reality Shard was far from done. At least now we know where it really is for sure.

"So that's it then," said Fernando. "The shard was somewhere else this whole fucking time and we came all this way for nothing! You were right, Kristen. This was a fool's errand!"

"Will you calm down, Fernan!" Max demanded. "Atropos said the shard was at the Colosseum and that's where we're going."

"Now wait just a minute," said Rachel. "The sister said you and Alex were descendants of the Herd of Whales. How could the Caulfield family have been part of the herd and then suddenly stripped from the super secret boy band themselves?"

"That's an answer I'd like to know as well, Rachel. So does Alex. All I know is that my untold relationship with the herd is the reason I was selected to control time with my hands. Nothing else."

"I hate to interrupt your family royalty lecture," said Frank. "But maybe we can discuss family trees and freaky sisters later and get the hell out of here."

"There's a lift that just descended out of the ceiling," I said. "Let's use that. Could be a way out."

"It must be the way to get into the inner crypts," said Max.

"Incredible," said Kristen. "Now can we get up there?"

"Come on, then. Let's go."

"Here we go," said Fernando.

The six of us walk up the top floor and onto the lift to get inside the inner crypts to use as an exit. Once the lift raises us all the way upward to the crypts, we run into a dead end with no way in or out. Sigh.

"And a dead end," I said. "I guess we'll have to go back out the way we came in."

"Alright," said Max. "Let's get the hell out of here."

 _"_ _Keep looking,"_ said the voice of a ConDef trooper from downstairs. _"They have to be here somewhere."_

"Ah, shit," said Alex.

"They must've followed us," said Fernando.

"Ya think?" Frank griped.

"Well, we better hope there's another way outta here," said Rachel.

"If there was another way out of here," said Kristen. "There wouldn't be nothing but walls forming a dead end in front of us."

Speaking of walls, the six of us find small rays of light coming out of a brick wall. It looked fragile enough to bust through for an easy exit.

"Ah, there's a draft over there," said Rachel.

Max approached the wall and touched it with her hand to feel for loose tiles. She was going to need help to break it open if we were to get away from Alkaline's who just walked inside to hunt for us.

"Hey, come here," asked Max.

I walk next to her to touch the wall itself. I can feel nothing but broad daylight at the end of this tunnel.

"Yeah, yeah," I said. "I can feel the breeze."

"Awesome," said Kristen. "Please be an outside wall."

Max pressed against the wall with her arm and tile moved through and came loose. Definitely fragile.

"It's got some give," said Max. "Frank, help me with this."

"Yeah," said Frank.

"Guys, we don't have much time," said Rachel.

"Come on, go!" Max ordered.

And with just a little muscle from Max and Frank, the wall came crumbling down just like that. Then we were at last back in broad daylight. I knew the sun was up outside and tourist would be arriving here shortly. If they could deal with the damage done from us and ConDef that is, they'd sadly have to close down the museum for that.

"Yes!" I said.

As the six of started walking, we noticed a ConDef soldier was standing guard on the other side of the wall and got crushed by the bricks. He was holding a pistol in his hand and Fernando took it from him as his new weapon.

"Ah, muchas gracias," said Fernan taking the gun. "I'll take that."

* * *

David

July 20th, 2017

8:22 PM

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

My team and I make to the courtyard in time with Steph and her two other civilian friends named Johnny and Kerry. As soon as we're all outdoors into the inner courtyard of the campus, we could see Desean and his team covering for Nelson and her students including Warren and Brooke. The whole perimeter of the courtyard in swarming with ConDef shooting us down from behind our cover. We were going to need to hold them off good if were to cool it down for the choppers.

"What the fuck took you so long, Cage?!" Desean questioned. "We're getting hammered to the wall out here and we need this LZ cleared for Penske's extraction choppers!"

"Can it, Desean!" Cage replied. "We've got three more locals to add for pickup. How's Suzy and the kids?"

"We're fine, Captain!" Nelson replied. "But we need these ConDef extremists off my courtyard if the Admiral is getting us out of here!"

"Steph Gingrich?" Warren said in the middle of the fighting. "Is that you?! You're not dead!"

"Lovely to see you too, Warren!" Steph shouted back. "You too, Brooke! But as you can see, other than Quake, I've never been in a firefight before!"

"Is now really the good time to be talking about Quake, Steph?!" Brooke shouted.

"All of you, pipe it down!" I order. "Desean, how many ConDef are talking?"

"Dozens including infantry, grenadiers, and strikers," replied Desean. "There's some MGs mounted on the left and right of the vicinity. You can use those to our advantage. We can't let them advance on the students!"

"Then whaddya say we got on those MGs for a little advancement to our arsenal, Cage?"

"Agreed," said Cage. "Foley, Madsen, get on those MGs take out as many ConDef as you can. Meaning no infantry, grenadiers, strikers, or any hostiles about. Above all, we clear the LZ for Penske."

"Understood, Captain," I obey. "Foley, get on the left turret. I got the right."

"Yes, sir," said Cayce.

* * *

Max

July 21st, 2017

6:50 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

Castle Camelot Museum

The six of us run outside up to a ledge where we end up getting cornered by General Alkaline and his soldier thugs at gunpoint on their ledge. We aim our pistols at Alkaline and his squad as they aim their rifles and their leader aim his magnum across our eyes. Us together with our opposing force stand face to face between both sides of our own ledges between the gap in the road alert by each other's presence and ready to face some ConDef scum with my fingers on the grip and trigger. If it were even to come down to a firefight between us and them.

"Drop your weapons," said Alkaline

"Yeah, I don't think so," I said.

"Well then, what a dilemma. We seem to be equally matched. Until the rest of my men show up that is."

"We can wait," said Alex.

All of a sudden, Fernando was at it again. Or so it seemed. He was taking breaths again as if we were hallucinating again.

"Oh no," said Rachel. "Guys…"

"Fernando?" I said.

With my gun still aimed towards Alkaline but my head turned to Fernando, he out of nowhere has his gun aimed at me and us. For the love of dog. So much for equally matched. More like now outmatched.

"Oh, motherfucker," said Frank.

"Now that changes things a bit," said Alkaline. "Doesn't it? Now drop your guns.

"Why don't you go-," I said before being cut off.

"Fernando, shoot her."

"No," said Rachel.

"Wait," said Alex. "Just stop, okay?"

Alex drops her gun and tosses it down the ditch over the ledge. Then Rachel drops hers, then Frank drops his, then Kristen drops hers, and then I lastly drop mine. Disarming each other all at once for Alkaline and Fernando to get ready to shoot us unarmed.

"Now that's better," said Alkaline. "Isn't it? Shoot her."

"You son of a bitch!" Alex barked.

"Fernando, pull the trigger!"

"My pleasure," said Fernando.

Then suddenly, Fernando turns his gun on Alkaline and shoots him dead across the heart as his body collides to the floor. Then Fernando shoots at everyone else before they could shoot at us. Turns out Fernan wasn't hallucinating again after all. Only put it on for Alkaline. I just couldn't get the part where we were now left unarmed and had to run away and dodge the bullets instead.

"Run!" Fernando shouted.

While Fernando had our backs, Alex spotted a tower we could use to escape like before. Just as soon as we were making a run across the castle and Alkaline's killer elites were firing on us again.

"Head for the tower!" Alex shouted.

"Go! Go!" Rachel shouted.

"Move! Move!" Frank shouted.

"Shit!" Fernando snapped. "I'm out of bullets!"

"Run!" I shout.

The six of us make it inside the tower away from enemy fire. All we had to do now run up the stairs and make our escape.

"Up the stairs!" Kristen shouted.

"Why the fuck did you drop your guns?!" Fernando asked.

"You might've given us a wink or something!" I mutter.

"Well I didn't expect you to give up quite that easily, did I?"

We climb up the top of the tower through a hatch up the stairs and the only we were getting off the roof was jump over to a plank of wood built on some construction work. Alex, Frank, Rachel, and Kristen jumped on first. Fernando and I were the last ones to go as Fernan shut the hatch behind me and I raced off the edge of the room and safely jump onto the plank. But as soon as my feet are on the woodwork, half the construction comes crashing down below me. I run over to where Alex and the others stand before I come crashing down with it.

I turn my head around behind my companions to see one last friend of mine left behind on the roof as he stared at us down the narrow gap where he wouldn't be able to jump across that far. Now we're fucked.

"Oh shit!" I said.

"Come on, Fernan!" Alex shouted.

"He can't make it."

"Okay, what do we do?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, Max," said Kristen. "We can we do?!"

Alex shrugged. I shout out to Fernando to help him over.

"Fernando!" I shouted.

Then something was up. Fernando held his in front of me as a wait signal as he saw someone coming that he thought had dropped dead when shooting him from the chest. Unfortunately, that was never the case. Elias Alkaline was walking towards Fernando with his men alive and well. Despite the gunshot to his heart.

"Que mierda?" Fernando said puzzled.

It would have appeared Alkaline's tactical vest was also a bullet proof vest too. With the bullet caught inside the Kevlar. Alkaline smiled and chuckled at Fernando's best but failed effort in killing him.

"You didn't get very far," said Alkaline. "Did you? Where's the Reality Shard?"

"Fuck off," said Fernando.

A ConDef soldier knocked Fernan on the back with his gun to pin him on his knees. I tried going after him to find a way to help him, but my companions stop me. I'll kill that bastard who blew my home away from home and nearly costed my parents.

"There's nothing we can do, Max," said Frank.

"Jesus, this is unbearable," said Rachel.

"You think?!" Kristen snapped.

Alkaline searched for Fernando's pockets as he was pinned on the floor only to find them empty. Then gave him a kick in the stomach for wasting Alkaline's time. Fernan grunted the pain from the beating of a third-world British terrorist leader.

"It's not with him," said Alkaline.

Then the one and only bad boy behind this all himself appeared after Alkaline. Ares the god of war of all people; still wearing his helmet, armor, and gauntlet with the three Eternity Shards installed, approached my companion in distress to interrogate him instead. Fernando was mesmerized at the sight of the war god himself. Staring at him paler than when Alkaline reappeared with the bullet stuck in his vest.

"You will tell me where the Reality Shard is," said Ares. "Or you will suffer the consequences."

Fernando couldn't answer with the sight of someone you don't see every day. Forcing Ares's hand to the incentive for Fernan to talk. Ares raised his gauntlet into a fist and the Mind Shard was glowing bright yellow. Causing Fernando to feel a pain inside his head. A migraine in his brain that would force him to talk. Like the force probe power from Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens. Fernando hollered in agony from the Mind Shard's power.

"Tell me," said Ares. "Where – is – the Reality Shard!"

"It-it's not here!" Fernando cried from the pain. Fernando was sweating and panting from his migraine. "It…it's at the Colosseum! In Rome!"

My cousin, companions, and I watch the Are's horrors he inflicted on Fernando to get the word out of him. What's worse than wanting to kill a terrorist leader is wanting to kill the almighty god of war who was going to pay for what was doing as well.

"Who the fuck is that?!" Frank asked.

"Say to hello to Ares, ladies and gents," said Alex. "The almighty god of war himself."

Ares released the power of the Mind Shard from Fernando as his interrogatee took a large gasp for breath. Panting until the pain was cooler. Fernando's migraine eventually worn down within seconds. Ares stepped toward Alkaline before leaving the scene.

"I will find the script hidden in Idaho," said Ares. "Find the Reality Shard at this Colosseum in Rome and kill Max and every last one of her companions if you must."

As soon as Ares left, Joanna now approached the scene to deal with Fernando herself as Ares wished. The Prescott woman herself smiled at Fernan who still recovering from the shock as he picked himself up. She had been disappointed as she was amused with Fernando in his action siding with us.

"Oh, Fernando," said Joanna. "I had such high hopes for you."

Fernando chuckled. Holding his hip to recover himself from the torture.

"Yeah, right," said Fernando.

"It's true."

Alkaline whispered in Joanna's ear before she could say her next sentence.

"You had potential," she continued.

Two more soldiers stepped in with gasoline canisters who were dumping the gas on the ground in front of Fernando and around Joanna, Alkaline, and their armed guards. They were going to burn him down on the roof. Now things have gone from bad to worse.

"Now," said Joanna. "Well, it's funny how things work out, isn't it? You betray my trust and now we find ourselves here."

Joanna held a match in her fingers lit it with a small spark of flame. Ready to burn hell hath no fury. Fernando's heart was racing. Panicking what Joanna was doing to his traitorous self.

"As if it were in the cards all along," said Joanna.

She tossed the match down to floorboards and lit the gasoline on the fire. Lucky for Fernando, the fire didn't spread to his footing even though it soon will. Unluck for Fernando, he had few chances of surviving a jump over to our ground now that his ground was more liquid than before. As the terrorist couple and their henchmen left Fernando for dead, he turned his head at us and the narrow gap between us. This could not be happening.

I was now forced back to reliving another sign of déjà vu. Just four years earlier, I witnessed someone attempting collapse off roof at Blackwell and now Fernando was preparing himself to make the same effort Kate had tried before I persuaded her. Taking a dive off that roof from the fire. And now it was up to me to decide his fate just as I determined Kate's four years ago. And to do that, it would take a lot more than rewinding to save Fernando. Or otherwise, let him die.

"Fernando, don't," I said.

"Shit, shit," said Fernando.

"No."

 **X/SQUARE/LM – LET FERNANDO DIE**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM – BREAK FERNANDO'S FALL**

And just as I predicted, senior Humpty Dumpty made his great fall that immediately paralleled to Kate's. I think fast and thrust my hand towards Fernando's decent to prevent his reminiscent fate with my time stop power.

"No!" I cry.

My time stop freezes Fernando in a stasis bubble mid-air preventing his demise. It would break his fall but would wear off and the fall would instead injure him instead of killing him and we had no time to lose to get down than as fast as we could to catch him before my power wore down.

"Hurry!" Alex shouted. "Go!"

The five of us race down off the construction to help Fernando. As soon as his stasis bubble wore out, he hit the floor and landed on his left leg that snapped his bones and maimed his muscles. The Spanish kid was severely and injured and we all raced towards him lying on the ground with his crippled leg. At least my powers were an effort to prevent his death over an injury. This would've been Kate if I had stopped her the same way.

"Fernando!" I cried.

"Ah, shit!" Fernando whaled. "Mierda!"

"Oh my god, Fernando!" Kristen cried. "Why would you do that?!"

"Don't move!" I warned. "Don't move!"

"Jesus, my leg!" Fernando hollered. "Don't fucking touch it!"

"It's broken!"

"I know it's broken!"

"Just easy does it, Fernan," said Rachel. "Hang on."

When Rachel was helping us tend to Fernando's injury, she noticed a card in his jacket pocket. She pulled it out for us to see.

"Max, look at this," said Rachel.

She held the card in her fingers that had a roman numeral on top and a picture of a burning tower titled "The Tower" under it. Signifying had just occurred seconds ago. Had Fernando been holding out on us this entire time? Was this what Joanna meant when she said "As if it were in the cards all along"?

"Oh, what the fuck," said Alex.

We hear voices of ConDef shouting from distances warning everyone we went this way. It was going be like moving mountains between Fernando's leg and dozens of soldiers with our heads on their bounty. We had no other easier option than to carry Fernando by the arm and cover him with whatever weapon we could arm ourselves with.

"Okay, we can't stay here," said Kristen.

"Just leave me the gun," said Fernando. "I'll kill those cocksuckers!"

"No way," I said. "We're getting you out of here. C'mon, get up."

Alex and I pick him up off the ground by his arms and Alex hold him upward with his leg sprained. The other four of would have to do the shooting if we to get ourselves some guns from anyone or anywhere.

"I got him," said Alex. "You cover us."

"Okay," I said.

"Go!"

* * *

Cayce

July 20th, 2017

8:25 PM

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

I mounted myself on the left turret as ordered by my CO. David's mounted himself on the right turret as decided. The both of us help our team and Desean's with advancing fire on the enemy infantry and every other ConDef unit opposing us. Making sure no one advancing on our teams and the students to keep them away from the lethal lead flying across the courtyard.

I pick off every last infantry attempting to overwhelm us with my 50 cal. bullets packing a punch. I even hammer down some slippery strikers making their moves around us. More and more ConDef kept coming and we weren't going to be able to hold the line much more the longer it took for the extraction team to arrive.

"We can't take much more of this, Cage!" I shout. "We need that extraction team down here now!"

"Keep firing, Foley!" Caged barked. "No one stops firing until they arrive! Just hold them off! That's an order!"

And just to add more heat to the pressure, two big armored bruisers with LMGs battered their way into the courtyard to finish us off for good. Juggernauts were the last people we wanted to see in this firefight with civilians about and now we were coming face to face with them. It would take a bit more than 50 caliber machine guns shoot through their armor and weren't going to have the lives of MIT kids on our consciences. Let alone the blood of former Blackwells on our hands since Blackwell once ran in my blood thirteen years ago.

Then suddenly, before we could take care of them ourselves, bullets cam showing up above cleansing the two armored LMG brutes as well as the rest of the surrounding ConDef in the courtyard. Which were the bullets fired out of the turret of a Seahawk approaching its LZ. Two Seahawks to be exact. Both which belonged to Penske's extraction unit.

 _"_ _Cage, Desean, your teams can stand down,"_ said Penske on comm.

"It's Penske," said Cage. "Stand down! It's the extraction team! Boy, aren't you a sight for sore eyes, Admiral."

 _"_ _The admiralty never fails, Captain. We're coming down for landing."_

We all signal the civvies that the coast is clear and were ready to be extracted to safety. The two double-propellered choppers landed safely in the grass of the courtyard. As soon as they land, we could see Chrysalis infantry hopping out to secure the LZ as well as Penske stepping out of one of them. My team and I approach the admiral to deliver the goods and civilians we found on campus.

"I guess we can call this mission accomplished," said Penske.

"Admiral Penske," said Nelson. Approaching the admiral for a handshake. "Long time no see. Good to see."

"Suzy Nelson. My former high school sweetheart. Such an honor to see you too. Glad we could get you out of here alive."

"You have your teams and their bravery to thank for that, Gavin. I'm grateful for your efforts."

"Nice to see you too, Admiral Penske," said David. "We couldn't have done this alone."

"You too, Madsen. And no, you couldn't have."

"Whatever Alkaline and ConDef is planning, Eternium is the key to it."

David handed over the Eternium to the admiral's fingers as he observed it with his own eyes. Penske was impressed.

"Well," said Penske. "We finally got one over on this cocksucker."

"He's just a man, Admiral," I said. "He'd like you to think he's something more, but he ain't nothing but a sad, old, pitiful excuse of a man."

* * *

Max

July 21st, 2017

6:56 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

Castle Camelot Museum

The five of us, excluding Fernando who still had a gun, all found some weapon to defend against the ConDef soldiers with guns advancing in. Rachel, Frank, and I find some auto-rifles shoot back at our tangos on our twelve to watch Fernando's six. Kristen used a standard pistol for weaponry and so did Alex who volunteered to carry the injured Hispanic kid by the arm. Holding him as she was shooting at the same. Fernando would do the shooting with his pistol whenever Alex needed to reload or was out of ammo.

"How is that possible?!" Fernando bickered. "A bulletproof fucking vest?! Hablas en serio (You serious)?! Talk about bad karma!"

"We need to get him to a doctor!" Kristen warned.

"We need to get him to an ER is what we need!" Alex spat.

"And who the fuck was that freaky ass armored dude with the weird as glove?!" Fernando questioned.

"Save it, Fernan!" I snapped. "Let's just get the fuck out of here while we still can."

I unload my rifle on every last ConDef motherfucker in our way. Shooting a rifle packed a bit more punch than shooting a pistol. Every round firing across the barrel adds a bit more kick into the weapon when holding down the trigger when it's automatic. Even though it's been three years since I've been in this kind of action, I've at least gotten a little used to the kick. Too bad Rachel is a greater shot from her better combat training when she was under Chrysalis custody.

After taking down a few infantrymen, there were two ConDef troopers marching down in our path with shields in front of them. Making it impossible for us to shoot an easy target. It would take a hand grenade or whatever to deal with them. Luckily, I had a little grenade of own that came with my powers. I could use my time blast to punch through the shielded soldiers. I clench my fist together to charge my time blast and then thrust it over to the vanguards sending them flying off their feet and away from our path. The perimeter was secure and we were free to step out of cover and push forward.

The exit out of here was the same way we came in and we were getting close. I had only hoped Bryan found us an escape vehicle for us to drive on out of here. And he better had gotten one fast.

We all enter the gatehouse where the exit is. The same place we entered where there was a hole in the Alkaline's men blew through to get inside themselves and what Alex and I used to enter. We were going to need to help with the door for Fernando to get through. Rachel decides to help with the door to let everyone out.

"Come on," I said. "We gotta get the hell outta here."

"Alright, come on," said Alex. Still carrying Fernando by the arm over the shoulder. "Just a little further."

"Ow," said Fernando. The pain from his leg had worsened. "Pendejo shitting. Pendejo leg. Aargh…"

Rachel and I pull the doors open and let everyone out the front exit. Where tourist have already arrived outside with a bus in the parking lot. I'm only guessing no one's noticed the fact ConDef's been here first. Little did we know the bus had been driven by my good old Uncle Bryan Caulfield himself. Who had stepped out of the passenger door to signal us. And this was what he called a getaway vehicle?

"Max, Alex, everyone, get on the bus now!" Bryan shouted out.

"A tour bus Bryan?!" I bickered. "Are you cereal?!"

"Just get in! Hurry!"

"Well that won't attract any attention," said Rachel.

Without any other choice, we subtly get to the bus as quickly as we quick while Rachel makes a casual distraction for the Italian tourist. Alex cautiously helps Fernando over through the driver's door as we do.

"Mattina (Morning)," said Rachel speaking Italian. "Not worth the price of admission, folks."

Rachel gave the tourist the thumbs down and make a sound sticking her tongue out.

"Okay," said Alex helping Fernando into the bus. "Here we go. One…two…atta boy."

"Yeah, yeah," said Fernando. "Bueno."

"Alright, right here."

As soon as everyone was on the bus and Alex help Fernando rest his leg on his seat, Bryan took the wheel and started the bus's engines.

"Alright," he said. "I got this. Hang on."

As soon as the engine started, Kristen who stood next to Fernando resting, saw ConDef soldiers closing in and running out the exit. We had to start driving now.

"Uh, here they come!" Kristen warned.

"Bryan, get us outta here!" I shout.

Bryan hit the gas and the bus drives away. Alkaline's men running out into the parking lot frightened the tourist outside as they were armed and ready to shoot at us. Unfortunately for them, we had already outrun them before they could catch us in their line of fire. The tourist backed away from the soldiers knowing who they were as they panicked and hollered. Bryan evasively drives the bus into the driveway path of Caffarella Park and leaving the ConDef bastards out in the dust. We were safe at last.

* * *

David

July 20th, 2017

8:31 PM

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Airspace

I knew Cayce was joking about me when he called me a sad pitiful excuse for a man after Penske's compliments with the mission. He sounded just like Chloe during her days of delinquency.

Valor Team and I all ride with Penske, Nelson, and the students in our Seahawk we took. Desean and his team took the other with more students. The students we rode with included Warren, Brooke, and Steph. All I had to do now was give them a warm smile to let them know we'd be taking them for refuge on the Oregon and that they'll be okay. On top of that, we got the Eternium before ConDef could.

"Madsen to Lynch. We flew off campus with Penske's extraction teams on his Seahawks. You're free to fly out."

 _"_ _Right, I've got you on sensors,"_ said Lynch. _"My bird will follow you back to the Oregon."_

"Thank you, Commander," said Nelson. "We would've never gotten out of my institute if you hadn't come. It's a shame Brainer didn't make it."

"I can't believe those fuckers iced the heart and soul of the MIT," said Warren. "There goes my REE enrollment. When we land, I want to get wasted. My treat. At least we got to see David kick some ass. What do my fellow orienteers want? Chrysalis logos? Number one gloves? Maybe a unicorn for Brooke?"

"Screw you, Warren," said Brooke.

"How 'bout a dragon for Steph? It's been awhile since we'd seen her play as one."

"A warlord, Warren," said Steph. "Not a dragon."

"Right, what was his name again? Cuurgaron? Muurgaron?"

"Duurgaron."

"I can't believe we got them out alive," said Nelson. "I was going to suggest a sanctuary somewhere on land in the country. But I suppose an aircraft freighter like the Oregon in the seas will do."

"An aircraft freighter?" Warren thought. "You're taking us to an aircraft freighter?!"

"We're taking you to a sanctuary on the Oregon's refugee deck," I said. "Were other refugees are stationed there including some of your old Blackwell pals including Victoria Chase."

"Victoria is there too? Where did she come from?"

"We saved her and her sorority friends back in Berkeley. Most of them were her Vortex Club friends she brought to college."

"Vortex Club, Schmortex Club. And here I thought I heard the end of it. Can't wait to see the look on our face when we have our high school reunion seven years early."

"Yeah, Warren," said Brooke. "I'm sure Victoria of all people will be so excited to see you. Don't flatter yourself."

"It wasn't so much a flatter as it was a delight, Brooke. I take no pity."

"I was never a fan of Victoria either," said Steph. "But yeah, what he said."

"Same old Blackwell," I said.

"I can't imagine what would've occurred if these students had fallen into ConDef hands, Suzy," said Penske. "Damn this war to hell."

"Some cherished gratitude forty years in the making, Gavin," said Nelson. "I look forward to safe refuge on your ship. Thank you. All of you."

"As you were."

* * *

Max

July 21st, 2017

7:04 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

30 miles from Rome

Bryan drives the bus a safe enough distance from the pursuing ConDef out in the open road of the park and into the morning sunrise. I look out the windows to confirm our safety and we're no longer be followed. But we soon will now that they'll be on their way to the Colosseum. Which would our next stop on this ride to Rome. Hopefully, we'd also find a hospital in Rome for Fernando as well.

"Looks like we lost them," I said.

"Alright," said Bryan. "I'll find someplace to ditch the bus."

"Great."

Considering this bus was stolen, it would be best to park this place for it's rightful owners before cops or other authorities find us with it. I hope ConDef doesn't do anything about those tourists who were just there for the Castle Camelot exhibition. I can only image the ConDef activity here spreading the media real soon.

I check on Fernando for his condition. His leg was bent bad but was taking it like a champ.

"You doing alright?" I asked him.

"Oh, fantastico," said Fernando.

"That was too close," said Rachel.

"He'll be okay," I said.

"No, I mean the whole thing. It just isn't worth it, Max. Let this one go."

"No, no, no, no," said Fernando. "You can't just give up. If you let these pendejos win, after this, I will never fucking forgive you."

"Don't you worry, Fernan," I said. "There's no way I'm letting them win."

"What is it with you?" Rachel thought. "What are you trying to prove?"

"I'm not trying to prove anything."

"Bullshit. I don't care what some three-thousand-year-old sister of whatever tells you. I keep telling you we dropped this fantasy nonsense three years ago and have done so great at it since. And just now all of a sudden, your back on this road again. Do you really think your life is seriously worth the stakes at hand here?"

"Do you really think that's for you to determine, Rachel? Yeah, I didn't think so."

"We don't think so, Max," said Frank. "We know so. I of all people know for a fact that Chloe isn't the person to take deception well. If she ever knew what you were doing now-"

"I'll let you worry about your affairs, Frank. You let me worry about mine."

"You little shit-"

"Stop!" Rachel snapped. "Max, Frank is right. Between Joanna, Alkaline, ConDef, that Ares asshole, Fernando breaking his leg, and coming all the way to that fucking castle on the hill all for nothing, who's the next casualty of your ego?"

"My ego?! You cereal, Rachel? This isn't Chloe and I searching all over Arcadia Bay for you or you and Chloe busting your asses off to prove my innocence or anything alike. It's a fucking global war!"

"Our point precisely, Max!"

"Therefore, if I'm the only person left standing to help Chrysalis win this war, that's an allegation and sacrifice I'm willing to take on! Period."

"Right."

"In any case, people," said Kristen. "We're getting Fernando to a hospital pronto! Before we do anything else."

I take a sigh of breath from the argument and walk over between Alex and Bryan in front of the bus. I lean over to Bryan sitting behind the wheel and driving the bus to Rome. Both my cousin and uncle attempt to comfort me and help me to never mind them.

"So what's the plan, Max?" Bryan asked. "I take it you didn't find what you came for, did you?"

"Want the good news or bad news first?" I asked my uncle.

"Any news is worth my ears."

"Bad news is, the Reality Shard was never at Castle Camelot. We met the second sister of fate, Atropos, and she told us the castle was a decoy. A set to keep Arthur's enemies astray. The good news is, the shard was in the Colosseum the entire time. Where it always has been to protect it. That's where we go to next as soon as Fernando's in the hospital."

"If what you were told is true, then that's where we'll take off too."

"Guess we're going to Rome. You up for it?

"'Course I am."

"Alright, we got to find a quick way in. No hassles."

"I know somewhere in the city we can enter subtly. There's also a hospital not far from the gateway. You bet we'll be there."

Alex holds my shoulder for comfort. I know she knows this is too much pressure on me already.

"I know this hasn't been an easy task to handle," she said. "But don't bring Rachel and everyone else down with you if you can't. And you don't bring Chloe down with you either."

"That's what I'm afraid of, Alex," I said. "Just remember this trip was your idea. And Bryan's. Not mine."

I turn to Rachel who's still staring at me skeptically about my actions against my promise to Chloe. I can only assume she's on her way to Aaron and Linda's for safety by now. Her uncle and aunt are good people to be around in times like these.

"It's not too late to turn back from this," said Rachel.

"I don't know about you, but I miss the old days when my greatest enemies were my own photography teacher and his accomplice who threatened to set up a bathroom as Chloe's tomb. Add the asshole who played devil's advocate with the Prescotts to rule the Elysium realm as a bonus."

"And I miss the old days when my greatest enemies were my own photography teacher, my own father, and his accomplice who stabbed me in the junkyard and helped try to kill my real mom for him. Add a Bolivian warmonger as a bonus."

 **Note: Busy week, my readers. Between writing this whole longer chapter, replaying Telltale's The Walking Dead series, and playing the original Life Is Strange now on Android, it's been hella busy I can tell you. I've also received the news of more details about the upcoming comic series from Titan Comics that will follow after the events of the original game. Stay tuned for the next half of this episode everyone. It's gonna get hella better than this first half!**

 **Until next time, like always, stay tuned and golden!**


	13. Fredrick the Eccentric

Chapter 13 Fredrick the Eccentric

Alex

November 3rd, 2012

5:32 PM

Seattle, Washington

Downtown Seattle

 **Note: This is another flashback scene featuring more backstory between Max and Alex during their days of Seattle set eleven months before the events of LIS1. In the first flashback back in chapter 1 of this episode, I had mentioned a magician the Caulfield cousins would be seeing in this chapter named "The Frankly Stanley". I have now changed the name to "Fredrick the Eccentric" which is a more creative title for an illusionist performer. They'll be no more backstory chapters until the next episode. So enjoy this one while you still can.**

After over eight in a half hours of outing with Max, we went for a walk in the park, had some lunch at a hot dog stand, and walked through the most boring tour at the Burke Museum of Natural History ever. Luckily, as soon as we left the museum, it was almost time to see the magic show at the Seattle Theatre. The one and only "Fredrick the Eccentric". My baby cousin and I's desert after the nasty main course.

"Wowser," I said. "That was utmost worst museum tour I've taken in twenty of my life, ever!"

"You wanted to go to that museum and take the tour, Alex," said Max. "It was your idea to begin with."

"Why don't we just get our asses down to the theatre across the street and meet Fernando and Kristen there. Shall we?"

"That we shall."

We walk across the side of Downtown Seattle past parked cars and pedestrians to get to the theatre. It was a few blocks away from the Burke Museum. Max and I would be meeting our friends their shortly.

"At least we got to see the best part," I said. "The Eon Codex exhibit and we met the guest curator. Makes sense why a bunch of low-life crooks would want to steal it and get themselves killed for it and sent to prison for it."

"Yeah," said Max. "I'm sure all that talk about some crazy ass codex was worth the tour. Now I see why you made a proposition about it on the train."

"More or less, Max. More or less. Anyway, have you ever been to a magic show before?"

"More or less, Alex. More or less."

"Meaning?"

"Back in Arcadia, when Chloe and I were still friends, she used to have this magic kit at her house and we'd pretend to be sorcerers at Hogwarts from Harry Potter. We pretended to be Gryffindors."

"Okay, that's much of actually going to magic show as it being the magic show, but I thought Pirates were your thing? Not witchcraft and wizardry."

"It wasn't. We didn't even the costumes either. All we had was a cape, a hat with a moon and stars, and a wand. We'd tell each other's fortunes, wave the wand around for magic spells, all that jazz. When we were pirates, Chloe would where a Jack Sparrow hat and vest and I would wear a bandana and eyepatch. You know the story. The only magic shows we ever saw were ones from Penn and Teller."

"Oh, Penn and Teller of all people."

"Don't be a hater. They weren't that bad. I mean they were good for their time. William used to have these old cassettes of their own shows and they were surprisingly awesome. Nowadays, like everything else, their talent has overstayed their welcome."

"Remember that camping trip we had gone on when Chloe's dad was still in the family? To the Tillamook Woods?"

"You mean the camping trip we went on six years ago when you were visiting me in Arcadia Bay? What about it?"

"I'm pretty sure Chloe was there too. You were ten going on your tweens like Chloe was while I was going on my teens. The best part of it all was us sitting down by campfire with our dads eating smores and wieners while my dad was telling the crazy ghost story about the almighty Ares. The Greek god of war. And how he led an army of Persians against the Spartans, slew his father Zeus, and wielding the powerful Eternity Gauntlet that caused millions to be wiped from existence as the legend goes."

Max chuckled for a second recalling that time together.

"I can't believe you brought that one up," she said and smiled.

"You remember that, don't you?" I asked.

"How couldn't I? I remember my dad and William telling Bryan to tone down the violence of that story since it contained content such as decapitation and dismemberment."

"Then a year later, the Zack Snyder movie '300' came out. The one where Gerard Butler says 'This – is – Sparta!'"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've heard that meme a bazillion times that I can count. It may be music to your ears, but not mine."

"I know my memes too, cousin. As do you."

Suddenly, someone had tripped on the sidewalk in front us. We stop our feet when we're startled by the person pushed to the ground and that person was none other than Fernando Rojas. Getting picked on by Cleveland's sinister bully Gus Anthony and his two teenage gang bangers Joel and Tommy. Kristen had been with Fernando and ran after him as the three bullies chased.

"What don't you know, Fernando," said Gus.

"Please, stop it, Gus!" Kristen pouted. "Leave him alone!"

"You stay out of this, bitch! Tommy, make she stays out of this."

Once my cousin and I were in Gus's sights, he couldn't help but take notice we had entered the scene of bullying out in public. The two of us stepped back like we weren't doing anything wrong.

"Well if it isn't the Caulfield cousins," said Gus. "Max the Wax and Alex the Salix."

"Hola, Max," said Fernando. "Hola, Alex. Just talking business with-"

Gus kicked Fernando in the rear to silence him. Fernando squealed the pain out of him.

"Shut it, sucio!" Gus snapped. "Or my bite is gonna be worse than my bark."

"Understatement of what you've always done until now, Augustus," I said.

"First of all, that's Gus to you, Alex. Second of all, this isn't your damn business."

"Well, it is now since you've brought us into this, Gus. There's always a peaceful resolution to this sort of thing that you can't seem to choose to do."

Then Gus instantly pulls out his switchblade and this is where things intensify. Max and I take a few steps backward. I make sure Max gets behind me. For I was far more the girl to stand up to bullies more than Max ever could be.

"You want to test me, cunt! Huh?!" Gus snarled. "Is that what you want to do?"

"That knife touches anyone, biotch, it won't end well for you!" I warned. "For one, we're in public. For two, a cop could see you with that knife and you wouldn't want to just stab someone where there are witnesses everywhere. If this situation is to be settled diplomatically, I'm happy to help without violence. Okay?"

There were some people on the sidewalk already starring at us to make sure the scene didn't end drastically. Before anyone could pick the phone and call the cops, Gus put his switchblade away and decided to use his words as Nanny McPhee would say. Smart decision, Gussy boy.

"Now, what seems to be the issue with senior Rojas, heh?" I asked.

"Fernando owes me a lot of cash," replied Gus. "So unless he pays up, he ain't going nowhere. That's the only way it's going to be settled."

"Drug money. Go figure. What if I pay up for Fernando in advance for his troubles? Then maybe we can call it square."

"What?" Gus thought.

"What?" Max said.

"What?" Fernando said.

"What?" Kristen said.

"Get the fuck real, Alex," said Gus. "You? Pay for him?"

"Do I look like I'm crazy?" I asked.

"No offense, Alex," said Fernando. "But I think you do."

"What do you think, Joel?" Gus asked. "What do you think, Tommy? You got an opinion on this?"

"I don't know, Gus," said Joel. "It's all up to her if she wants to pay for Fernando, bra."

"I say if Alex wants to pay," said Tommy. "Let Alex pay. No question."

"Well unless you brought money," said Gus. "We've got no deal."

"Alex, don't," said Max. "Don't waste your money on stupid drugs."

"What's it gonna be, Alex? Pay up or walk away?"

"It's okay, Alex," said Fernando. "I don't need the drugs anyway."

"Yeah, Alex," said Kristen. "I don't think he needs it."

"You either give me the money or you walk away peacefully and let us handle this our way. Well…I'm waiting."

 **X/SQUARE/LM – PAY GUS**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM – DON'T PAY GUS**

I reach for my wallet and give him what I can. Considering I've been running liquid all day with Max, I won't have too much money to spend at the theatre now that I'm paying Gus for Fernand. I hand him the dough and it's all his.

"Thank you," said Gus. "Now if you'll excuse, we've got bigger fish to fry. So beat it, all of you."

Gus tossed Fernando a pack of cigarettes and he, Joel, and Tommy leave all of us as I give my amigo a hand off the sidewalk from when he was pushed. Everyone else is relieved it was over peacefully but questioned my decision in standing up to Gus and his gang.

"How do you talk your way out of those pendejos?" Fernando asked.

"How do you keep coming at it with those pendejos?" I asked. "You can't just keep putting up with those assholes forever, you know."

"And you can't just go tipping off those assholes forever, you know," said Max.

"It's my defense mechanism, Max. Thank you very much. It's how I stand up to bullies depending on how the victim in distress."

"The next you go tipping off losers like Gus," said Kristen. "I'd listen to Max. Just so you know."

"You're welcome, by the way," I said. "Why are you at it again with Gus anyway, Fernand?"

"I just needed a pack of cigarettes before the show," said Fernando. "I was grabbing a smoke as soon as Kristen and I were meeting you gals until I noticed my pack was empty. That's why I went to Gus."

"Maybe you should get a job or something. A lot easier than drug dealers."

"Screw you, Alex. Tell that to Gus. Not me. I've got a job at Taco John's and it may not pay well, but it's the only place my parents let me work at."

"Guys, Seattle Theatre," said Max. "Now please?"

* * *

Max

November 3rd, 2012

5:55 PM

Seattle, Washington

Seattle Theatre

The four of us enter the theatre. Admitting our tickets to get inside and took a nice reserved table for us to sit at. One with a white tablecloth, a bouquet of floors, and silverware to eat with. They had served food at the theatre we went to and we all ordered it before the show began. Fernando pulled out a pamphlet from the table about the magic illusionist performing in five minutes.

"Fredrick the Eccentric," said Fernando. Reading the pamphlet. "Whose bright idea was it to see this bozo on stage again?"

"It was my bright idea of course," said Alex. "Trust me Fernand, this guy is known to have a Penn and Teller level of illusion. Not exaggerating. Kristen, you with me?"

"Whatever illusion satisfies my disillusion," said Kristen. "I'm with you."

"Max, are you with me?"

"I'm always with my big cousin," I said. "I'm with you, Alex."

"Senior Rojas, you with me?"

"If your non-exaggeration is proven true," said Fernando. "Si, I'm with you, hermana."

As soon as the lights went down and our food was served, stage lights were being shined in front of the stage to present tonight's entertainment. And the show went on.

 _"_ _Ladies and gentlemen,"_ said the announcer on the speakers. _"Boys and girls of all ages. Welcome to the Seattle Theatre. It is time for the performance of a lifetime. Put your hands out together for the one…the only…Fredrick the Eccentric!"_

Lo and behold, Fredrick the Eccentric was here. The man himself dressed in a top hat and tailcoat appearing out of thin air from a puff of smoke coming out of the stage floor with a smile on his face and his female assistances in pink dresses and masks standing between him. The audience around us makes a round of applause for the magician's entrance. We make sure we clapped our hands as well.

"That's Fredrick the Eccentric?!" Fernando questioned. "A fucking circus magician?"

Fredrick had taken a bow on stage with his two assistances stepping aside. Then calmed the crowd to thank them for their attention.

"Thank you!" Fredrick said on stage. "Thank you! And thank you! It is I, Fredrick the Eccentric for tonight's entertainment! Welcome! Who's prepared to see some magic?! Are you prepared to see Fredrick's eccentric magic tricks?!"

The crowd yells yeah. But not loud enough.

"I can't hear you!"

The crowd yells yeah even louder. Then Fredrick decides to put on a show for everyone.

"Excellent! Now for our first performance, we will need a volunteer. My first trick will be to a saw a nice young lady in half!"

Oh, my dog. This should be fascinating. Sawing a lady in half. What a lame trope.

The young women in the dresses rolled out a box on a table and a saw for Fredrick to use for his trick. I never knew how illusionist could ever pull tricks like that and frankly, I probably won't ever find out. Or would I?

"I see a few young birds out there who could use some encouragement," said Fredrick. "Let's see who shall stand right up to be Fredrick the Eccentric's volunteer."

A light was shined around the audience to pick a volunteer. This is where things get ironic. As soon as the light in the dark stopped moving, it suddenly shined on me. Meaning I would be Fredrick's volunteer. I think I felt a rock inside my stomach and through my ass.

"And we have a volunteer!" Fredrick announces.

This is not happening. The stage light is shining upon me and going to be sawed in fucking half! Wowser! My face is getting pale and I'm pissing myself already. Alex, Fernando, and Kristen looked at me in shock and surprise that I would be Fredrick's variant to be sawed in a box. Should I be worried or should I be inspired?

"You better get up, buttercup," said Alex. "Your gonna be on stage!"

"Oh, fuck this shit," said Fernando.

"I think I'm going to faint," said Kristen.

"Well, fuck me," I said.

"Step right on up, buttercup!" Fredrick called. "Isn't that nicest young girl for my variant!"

I gulp down my throat and get off my table in nervousness. Should this be exciting or terrifying? The assistance in the dresses help me up on the stage and I'm greeted to Fredrick.

"What is your name, miss?" Fredrick asked.

"Max," I replied.

"Max, would you be a kind dead and step in this very box for everyone to see?"

"S-Sure, I-I guess."

"Ah, she's a little nervous. Let's show her some inspiration, everyone!"

The assistance helps me inside the box by lifting my body over the table and through the wooden saw crate. I could feel my feet entering something under the box as soon as my body as all the way in and only my head visibly sticking out. My feet didn't look like they were sticking through the side. They were instead crisscrossed somewhere under the table. Then I could see a pair of legs with sneakers sticking out on the side. They had to be fake. Is this how a magician pulls a trick like this?

I can see my cousin and two friends staring at me right now. Horrified about what's to happen. But I think Mr. Eccentric knows what he's doing and will impress them. The man himself brings out his hacksaw to start cutting the box open and illusively cut me open.

"And now," begins Fredrick. "Prepare to be amazed, by my first ever eccentric trick on this fine young lady named Max as she is about to be split in two!"

"I think I'm going to be sick," said Kristen at the table.

Alex and Fernando sat there in silence with their hands pressed against their mouths while Kristen looked away. I could've said what Kristen said better myself, but I just hold my breath for something remarkable.

The two assistances stood between me as Fredrick began sawing away down the center of the box like lumber as my body laid inside like a body in a coffin. Even with my legs crisscrossed on my side, it still feels like body if about to be torn half in half through my waist like Bishop the android in Aliens. And yet I feel nothing when Fredrick's half away through cutting with his saw.

Once Fredrick is finished cutting, the box splits open and so as it seemed my body. My fake legs on the other and my real body on my side. The audience oohs and awes and the face of my cousin and friends are lit with intrigue and amazement. Their eyebrows raised and the jaws dropped.

"Behold!" Fredrick shouts. "My eccentric trick!"

The audience applauds with glee. Impressed to see a seventeen-year-old girl sawed in two with no harm done. I give everyone a big bright smile to show how brave of a variant Maxine Caulfield was for volunteering Fredrick's eccentric trick. While Alex and friends clap for me, Fernando snaps a photo of me with his phone to post it on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with hashtag quote on it.

"Hashtag: Max Sawfield", he said typing the tagline.

Now I'm going to become infamous all over social media for whoever's following Fernando on those social sights. I'll bet it'll become Cleveland's next high school meme in less than a week from now when the weekend is over. It'll feel amazing and embarrassing to me all in all.

I look at Alex in the eye from the stage to the table. Still entrapped in Fredrick's wooden box cut in half. What felt like the most nauseous moment of my life has turned into the most fearless moment ever. The both of us grant each other a warm smile for my achievement. Whenever Alex's little cousin is in need to fear, my big cousin is here.

If only Chloe were here to see me now. She and Alex are one in the same and always will be. Forever. Maybe.

Or maybe not.

 **Note: So there you have it. My second and last backstory chapter for Max and Alex in episode 3. This scene may be a little forced, but a little likable at the same time. I'm writing backstory chapters for the Caulfield cousins in a way to develop the two characters the way Pricefield and Amberprice were developed in their own games as hard as I can. I'd also like to note the reason why these flashback chapters are set in the year 2012 and eleven months before the original game is so not a whole lot of time would be spread before Alex's supposed death back in episode 1.**

 **I originally thought about setting the first and second flashbacks in 2010, parallel to Before the Storm's events, but figured it wouldn't be too original. I also originally planned Alex to go on stage with Max to perform a trick of her own for a little adlib for the audience which would be another nod to Before the Storm but decided to shelve it so I wouldn't have to waste time thinking about it before writing it. And when I thought about it, I decided it wasn't needed. I'll have more exciting backstory chapters in the following episode of Eternity War. I don't know how else to put it, but whenever I write these backstory/flashback chapters, it almost feels like a proper Life Is Strange story in the way most of the fanbase would see it. But that bothers me not.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	14. Rome

Chapter 14 Rome

Max

July 21st, 2017

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

All alone again. In a forest where the trees are leafless, ash rains like snow, and the grass is black as coal. I'm here again in the same place as my purgatorial nightmare I had on the plane to Vancouver. Now I'm having another one. Damn these grim visions. Why here? Why now?

As I move my head around the charred woods, I see my doe again staring back at me to grasp my attention and lure me to whatever I must see next. I follow the doe again as it prances off into the distance as always. Every day, whenever I think of this doe, my spirit creature must always be attempting to show me my destiny. As it always has since the day I first saw the Arcadian storm in Mr. Jefferson's classroom. What could the doe want to show me this time? The end of the war and the fate of everyone after it? Including mine?

When I start following the doe again, I'm walking through levitating shadows emerging out of the ground like smoke. Like the dementors from Harry Potter. It makes me cold to just casually jog through the shadows, but I do it anyway. And when I do, I hear voices amongst the shadows. Voices I recognize that whisper to my ears.

 _"_ _I see you, Max Caulfield. Don't even think about leaving here…"_

 _"_ _The fever…the rage…the powerlessness…is harmony not preferable to tragedy?"_

 _"_ _So fearless…you get off on this, don't you…cheating death…"_

 _"_ _If it were up to me…I would've stayed dead by now…"_

 _"_ _Max…I'm in a nightmare and I can't wake up…"_

 _"_ _Watch out, Max…he wants to hurt you next…"_

 _"_ _It just isn't worth it, Max…let this one go…"_

 _"_ _Max…I'll always be with you…"_

 _"_ _I need you in on this…don't waste it…"_

 _"_ _You are weak…undisciplined…cowering behind walls…"_

I recognize pretty much every one of these voices. Jefferson, Crosby, Joanna, Rachel, Kate, Nathan, Alex, Ares, and Chloe. Echoes of the past haunting my present and destroying my future. But I knew my nightmare didn't end here.

I open my diary to see pages of drawn images of me and Chloe kissing. As I kissed her in the drawing, Chloe's body was drawn in a way that made her clothes and skin deteriorating and disintegrating into particles of ash and dust from the back of her body. There was handing on the drawing that read: **Everything you know will vanish. Everyone you love will disappear. Everything and everyone will burn until their skins decay into ashes. Only you and half of humanity will ever exist. It will be your last goodbye, traveler.**

I see text messages on my phone that read more disturbing messages from my friends and foes.

 **Chloe: You know what's worse than being abandoned by your best friend for five years? Being abandoned again over a cousin you never told me about! You must love Alex more than me, don't you? Why even bother saving me for a happy life together?**

 **Chloe: Go to hell, Maxine. I hope Ares beheads you. I wish I were dead too.**

 **Rachel: Why do I bother resurrecting you if you're not gonna take my advice for Chloe? You shoulda let me die Portland like I wanted to. Fuck Los Angeles. And fuck the Santa Monica dream.**

 **Alex: Sorry, Max. But you're mine now and you're not going anywhere with anyone else. You're stuck with me forever and ever!**

 **Alex: Tell Chloe to go fuck herself in hell.**

 **Ares: Dread it.**

 **Ares: Run from it.**

 **Ares: Destiny still arrives.**

 **Ares: Yours will arrive soon enough, Maxine.**

I continue onward into the misty woods to see my spirit animal standing in the middle of skeletal bodies lying on the grass and trees. All you are wearing the clothes of everyone I knew and were here in my last nightmare. The skeletons all belonged to the bodies of my parents, Rachel's parents, Joyce and David, Frank and Rachel, Cayce and Kristine, Fernando, Kristen, Warren, Kate, Victoria, Bryan, Alex, and Chloe. Their own remains wearing their own clothes. This was more brutal than my last nightmare. They all laid dead in the place from my other nightmare.

When I approach Chloe's skeletal remains, I collapse on my knees in horror. There is her butterflying standing on her skull and then I hear Chloe's voice whisper in my ears again.

 _"_ _You could've saved us,"_ she whispers. _"Why didn't you do more?"_

What am I seeing? Is this what was going to happen to all of us in the end including me? I know one thing's for sure. Two out of three of my end-of-the-world visions have come true before. And now it would appear this could all come true if I don't stop it.

Then I hear the sound of a roar around me. I turn my head forward away from Chloe's remains to see Ares and his pet dragon before me. There is also the crow sitting on his shoulder too. Ares walks to the side to reveal my skeletal remains with a sword impaled through my ribs. Along with my spirit doe cooing down on it. My mind is about to be fucked in any second now. Then I see the moon from my last nightmare too. And this time, I see three moons instead of one. All of them humming like whales with mouths and arms like jellyfish. Preparing to feast on the environment around me. What the fuck is going on?!

And before I could awake for this horrid vision, my doe prances away and my corpse goes up in flames. Then everyone else's skeletal remains spark in flames. And then finally, Ares's dragon raises the jaws and shoots fire right from the flammable breath. Lighting me on fire just as soon as my vision shoots to black.

* * *

Max – Age 21 (POV)

Rachel – Age 22

Bryan – Age 52

July 21st, 2017

8:08 AM

Rome, Italy

Colosseum

I jerk my eyes awake and I'm back on the bus. Bryan had finally come to a stop where we could ditch the public vehicle for good. I could see Alex standing next to my seat waking me up.

"End of the line, cousin," she said. "We're here."

Frank and Rachel were also still on the bus while Kristen and Fernand were back at the hospital we dropped them off at. Kristen stayed behind to wait for Fernando during his surgery while the rest of us continued our search at the Colosseum. When I look at my window, Bryan had parked the bus somewhere in the markets that was just next door to the Colosseum. This is where we get off.

The five of us get off the bus as it's parked. Casually and subtly making it look and not stolen even though it is. And there it was. The Colosseum of Rome just a few clicks ahead of us. All we had to do was cut through the crowd in markets and we'll be getting our Reality Shard before we knew it.

"Alright," I said. "There's our Colosseum."

"You really think that Reality Shard's gonna be sitting between the middle of this goddamn market and that Colosseum?"

"Oh yeah, that'd be crazy."

Bryan scoffed.

"But we've seen crazy before," I said.

"That we have," said Bryan.

Taking a glance at the crowd in the markets from the lot we parked the bus at made me think it would be too convoluted for us to be walking down to a single destination all at once. Perhaps we could split up into two different locations. After all, we couldn't take any chances with ConDef still behind our necks. Since Ares, Alkaline, and Joanna now knew where the Reality Shard was, thanks to Fernando's hypnosis from the Mind Shard, we had little time to lose.

"Okay," I said. "We can't take any chances with ConDef still behind us. I say we split up in pairs. Rachel, Bryan, the two of you and I can make way for the Colosseum. Alex, you go with Frank to the Ludus Magnus and check if there's anything there."

"The Ludus Whatus?" Frank asked.

"The Ludus Magnus," said Alex. "It's the remains of a training facility that was used for ancient gladiators as well as knights during Arthur's day and the British/American army during Ezra's conquest in the first world war."

"Rachel, I'm asking you as a friend," I said. "You with me?"

"I'm with you, Max," replied Rachel. "Till the very end. As long as you know what're doing."

"Alright, then. Break."

The five of us part ways as Alex goes with Frank to the Ludus Magnus and Bryan, Rachel, and I walk down to the Colosseum through the markets. In the middle of the crowd, we could see a passport international center where people were lined up to get their passports checked in. This was going to be a nightmare for us whenever we got back to my country.

"Yeesh," said Bryan. "We have that to look forward to when we get back to the states."

"Could be worse," I said. "Could be Arstotzka."

"Ew. Don't even remind me."

"You did not just say Arstotzka," said Rachel.

"Sure did," I said.

Visiting Italy here minds me of a time Chloe and her family took a vacation here. At least in another reality prior to that Wednesday and Thursday I spent in it. I always wondered if I had done anything different with Alex in that reality I let William breathe other than writing more to Chloe. Maybe Alex wasn't shot in that sewer in that timestream? I guess I'll never find out and never will. And frankly, I'll never want to.

Amongst the Italian crowd, I spotted two horned cows/bulls attached to a wagon they were pulling. The cows weren't moving, so I took my chance to pet them for a second with ease.

"Hiya guys," I said. "Seen any Reality Shards around here?"

"Hey, Max," said Bryan.

"Sorry, he's so impatient."

Then Bryan accidentally bumped into an Italian lady carrying a basket of grapefruit. She had dropped her basket and her fruit fell on the ground.

"Oh, hell," said Bryan. "I am sorry. I – here, lemme help you."

Bryan and Rachel helped the lady with her grapefruit. I could rewind to be kind, but nowadays I never waste it on a thing like this. I pick the last fruit that fell on the ground for the woman with the basket as she nods for a thank you. No telling if she spoke English.

"My mistake," said Bryan.

"I apologize for my uncle," I said. "I haven't fed him in a while."

"Come se avessi bisogno di questo oggi (As if I needed this today)," said the woman in Italian.

"Stai attento (Take care)," said Rachel in Italian.

"You see the way she looked at me," said Bryan.

"You are delusional," I laughed.

"I don't think so."

"Well, why don't you invite her back for some spicy bread?"

We keep walking through the crowd after my uncle hit on the Italian woman. I see a man at an antique stand selling some really snazzy wants for a living. Maybe I'd get one for Alex. I walk to the stand to see the man and spoke with him to ask what he was selling. Then I see a compass that looked like something out of the World War I era. Probably from Ezra's time.

"Wowser," I said. "This is something out of Ezra's era. Where did you get this?"

"Ah, friend," said the Italian man who actually spoke English well. "That is a very unique item. I'll give you a discount. Five hundred euros."

"C'mon, are you kidding? I don't even know if it's real. Give you fifty bucks for it."

"Four hundred euros. And it's real. Had other buyers interested in that piece."

"C'mon, man. Two hundred. Okay? That's all I have on me."

"I cannot possibly part with it for less than three hundred. That is my final offer."

"Alright, I'll take it. Three hundred."

"Max, really?" Bryan asked.

"Done," said the man at the counter.

I actually had a lot more euros on me for whatever we needed to purchase in Italy, but I never wanted to blow half of it for one compass. But I did it for Alex. Not for me. I give the man the money and I take the compass as a gift. A souvenir for our visit.

"You see that?" I asked Bryan. "That's how you haggle."

Bryan laughed.

"If you say so," he said.

"Chloe and I did a lot of haggling back home," said Rachel. "It didn't always end well for us."

As Rachel, Bryan, and I continued walking across the crowd, there was a lady carrying a basket of apples for sale. Calling out to everyone you wanted to buy one.

"Apples!" She shouted. "Buy my fresh apples! Only fifteen euros! Ma'am! Won't you try an apple? Best apples on the market!"

The lady was calling out to me and I thought it wouldn't hurt to have an apple. I haven't eaten a thing since yesterday.

"Don't mind if I do," I said.

I hand the lady over the euros and I take the apple.

"Ah, thank you very much, ma'am!" She thanked. "Enjoy your apple! And tell your friends!"

She was pretty cocky for a nice woman selling apples. I took a bit of my apple and caught up with my uncle and Rachel.

The next thing I spot in the markets is a man sitting around with a lemur on his shoulder. I've never seen too often in my life. It was kind of cute. I walked to the man with the lemur to pet it.

"Hey there, little guy," I cooed. "How you doin'?"

I touch the lemur's fur with my fingers over its shoulder. The man sitting down didn't seem to mind. He looked homeless and silent. I suppose he didn't mind.

"Hey, you like that," I said. "Huh?"

"Max," said Bryan. "Colosseum."

"But, Bryan, c'mon. It's a lemur! C'mon. Come say hi."

Bryan scoffed.

"That's alright," he said.

"So cute," I chuckled.

As soon as I start walking again with the others, the lemur followed me and climbed over my shoulder.

"Whoa, hey!" I startle. "Hey, Bryan, look who's back!"

Then out of nowhere, the lemur snatched apple out my hand, took it for himself, and ran off.

"Hey!" I laughed. "He stole my apple."

Bryan laughed.

"Can't trust anyone these days," he said.

"Hey, you know what," I said. "After this is over and done with, I'm gonna get a dog."

"Hey," said Rachel. "We come out of this in one piece, I'll buy you the damn dog."

"Can I name it Rachel?"

Rachel laughed.

"Sure," she said.

Bryan spotted a shirt racket in the markets and pulled one out to see if I'd want one. It was a shirt that matched his. And one too big for me to wear.

"Hey, Max," he said. "Want me to buy you one of these?"

"Bryan," I said. "You got to be crazy to wear a shirt like that."

"Ha. Crazy handsome."

Continuing across the crowd, we can smell something cooking. The three of us were walking into a café of sorts. The food smelled good and made me hungry. Maybe I could go for some real food besides an apple today?

"Oh, man," said Rachel. "Something smells really good."

I walked over to where the food was being made and someone was cooking chicken in a frying pan over an oven. Delicious.

"Mm," I said. "She's right. Does smell good."

After excusing more people through the crowd and towards the end, we finally reach the Colosseum in front of our eyes. With a long line of people awaiting entry for tours. Blocking the front entrance in. That's a bummer.

"Hey, here we go," I said. "But there's a long line ahead. I guess we're gonna have to sneak in."

"Discreetly," said Bryan.

"Implied by the use of the word 'sneak', Bryan."

"Ah."

"Hey, check it out," said Rachel. Pointing to a way in. "That fence over there is broken."

My uncle and I walk over to where Rachel stood and pointed and she was right. The only discreet way in past the line and away from security.

"Hey, Bryan," I said. "Think we can squeeze through there."

"That'll work," said Bryan. "Jesus, this colosseum's huge."

"You gonna be okay in there?"

"You keep your pace. I'll keep mine."

"Yeah, well, at least you got a great view, right?"


	15. Canyon County

Chapter 15 Canyon County

Kristine – Age 18 (POV)

Nathan – Age 12

February 18, 2008

6:30 PM

Arcadia Bay, Oregon

Prescott Estate

 **9 years earlier…**

Today was my eighteenth birthday and tonight's my initiation into the Herd of Whales. I stood there in my room in front of the mirror getting my jacket and slacks on. Every founding family member enlisted to herd gets initiated when they turn eighteen and tonight was the night of my instatement. I had to look sharp for the initiation into my family's secret society. Mom, Dad, and Nathan were all waiting for me in the house to dress for the ceremony. Aunt Joanna would be there with the rest of the herd members to instate me as a member. The rest of my family in the house would be watching.

I looked amazing in my formal fashion. My parents always pick the best clothes for me to wear on occasions like this. Just as I'm finished dressing in my bedroom mirror, Mom walks inside to check if I'm ready.

"Kristine, honey," said Mom. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, Mom," I said. "I just got done getting dressed. How do I look?"

"You look amazing, Kristine. Our first child after all these years in our life being made a member of the herd."

"I'm still nervous about this, you know. I don't know if I'm ready."

"Of course, you're ready, sweaty. Your father and I have spent years training you for this day and Joanna will be proud of how much a valuable member we've trained you to become. And soon Nathan will be a member when he's old enough to be. You'll do fine."

 _"_ _Caroline, you there?"_ Dad asked from the halls. _"Is Kristine ready?"_

"Yes, Sean," replied Mom. "Our daughter's ready for the moment of her life. I'll bring her in now."

Mom gave me on quick pep talk sentence before leaving my bedroom.

"Now, you know what to do," she said. "You walk down there with a smile for your aunt and everyone down there and you'll do amazing. Okay?"

"Okay, Mom," I said. "I'll be ready."

I walk out of my room with Mom to see Dad and Nathan in the hall all dressed for the occasion as well. They both look happy for me.

"There's my little girl," said Dad. "All grown up to a proud member our society."

"Hey, big sister," said Nathan. "Even though I'm not ready to be a member yet, I am happy for you as Dad said I should be."

"Thanks, Nathan," I said. "Thanks, Dad. I am honored to celebrate the end of my birthday with this initiation Aunt Joan's prepared for me. I really appreciate it."

"Well let's not just stand here out in the hall," said Mom. "Let's get down there. Joan's waiting."

I walk downstairs with my family to see the people of the herd gathered in the atrium of the household where the front door was. I could see everyone in the herd, both men and women, dressed formally in their suits and wearing whale mask over their eyes. All lined up single file left and right with Aunt Joanna standing front and center behind everyone else. Walking between two rows of people I never knew is something I'm not used to, but at least Joanna is family I can reckon with.

Mom, Dad, and Nathan stand back on the stairs to watch the ceremony and my initiation into the herd. From what I knew, I would have to say and swear my oaths, get my mark burned into my arm, and put on my mask to make myself an official member of the herd. I professionally walk down the aisle of people with my mother, father, and brother watching to approach my aunt before her so she can make me a member of the Herd of Whales.

I now stand close enough to her face to face to start the initiation and begin the ceremony. The both of us putting on a light smile for one another.

"Kristine Matthew Prescott," begins Aunt Joanna. "Daughter of Sean and Caroline, sister of Nathan, and niece of Joanna, the children of the herd are gathered here today to inaugurate the Prescott heir to the Herd of Whales. Kristine, do you solemnly swear in the name of the herd, to sustain loyalty to our society?"

"I swear," I said with my hand up.

"Do you swear to never unveil the secrets of our cause?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to never identify yourself as an acolyte to the herd?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to remain unevidenced that our secret society ever existed?"

"I swear."

"And lastly, do you swear upon our mission to never disclose our righteous cause to the top-secret history of the supernatural power and phenomena that has only ever been known to the Herd of Whales?"

"I swear."

"Then it is time."

A man in a whale mask, who was a herd member, pulled out an iron with the Herd of Whales symbol on and pressed it into a burning press to make my mark on my arm. I roll up my sleeve so my mark can be ironed on. I knew it was going to sting, but it only for a few seconds. Joanna took the iron from the man so she could iron my mark herself.

"This may hurt a bit," she said.

I hold as still as I can and keep my arm straight as the burning iron approaches my skin and burns away as it touches my upper arm. I bite my lip and silently grunt the pain of the ironing, then the woman in the whale mask removes the iron away from me once the Herd of Whales mark is marked. I take a look at my arm to see my mark ironed into my burnt skin and then I role down my sleeve to cover the mark. I could still feel the pain a little from the burn, but I had to remain professional for everyone around me.

It was now time for me to wear the mask. I turn around and face the crowd of herd members for my aunt as she was preparing to place my mask over eyes and nose to be instated into the Herd of Whales. I fold my fingers together and stand straight for Joanna as she prepared the final step for my initiation.

"In the name of the herd," said Joanna holding the mask. "In the name of whales, children of the herd, I present to you our next heir and my beloved niece to our sacred society on behalf of my blessing. Kristine Prescott, loyal heir to the Arcadia Bay Herd of Whales."

Then my mask is on. Then we all say our slogan.

"May the herd guide us all," said Joanna.

"May the herd guide us all," said everyone repeating after her.

* * *

Kristine – Age 27 (POV)

Cayce – Age 31

David – Age 49

July 21st, 2017

3:02 AM

Canyon County, Idaho

Caldwell Farmlands

 **Present day…**

"Kristine," said Cayce. "Kristine!"

I jerk myself wide awake from the dream I was having by Cayce who had woken me up on the helicopter. I had fallen asleep on the ride to Idaho since we had to wake by midnight tonight given the mission starting at double zero.

"We're here," said Cayce.

"Already?" I asked yawning. "I was just beginning to get my beauty sleep."

"I think you've gotten plenty, Prescott," said David. "We've reached Canyon County. We're approximately twenty miles from Caldwell. We'll be arriving at the LZ shortly."

I can see the passenger doors between us were open. Seeing the countryside of farmland, pastures, and small homes from two hundred feet of altitude. What the state of Idaho was known for.

On board the chopper was me, Cayce, David, Flint, and Logos. Cage, Heard, Mason, and Newblood on were on a separate chopper flown by Lynch. Our chopper was being flown by different pilots. David was in charge of the team on this chopper. Cage was in charge of the group divided.

It had been a little more than a few hours since our last mission rescuing the MIT kids and retrieving the Eternium back at the MIT. I wanted to start this mission a little later but had our orders from Penske to begin sooner. I had managed to get only a few hours' sleep before our next task began. At least the students and the Eternium were both safely aboard the Oregon. And HQ was back online again to guide us through since they went offline hours ago back in Cambridge.

The mission at this moment was to save any and all surviving civilians stranded in the middle of the ConDef activity happing in the county and find a hidden script somewhere under a church in Canyon County according to intel. Caldwell was under lockdown due to the enemy presence in Canyon. I'm no psychic, but I got the feeling we'd be stumbling upon more former Blackwell attendees on the mission if I'm right or wrong. Odds are fifty-fifty.

Everyone else on board was awake for landing. Flint was playing Mustard Party 2 on his phone he brought with and Cayce was looking at me awkwardly. He turned his head away before I could notice anything. But I already had.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked.

"I don't know," replied Cayce. "I've been staring at you watching you sleep for a few hours and – never mind. Forget I said something."

I already knew Cayce was flirting, but I didn't care. Somehow, I always knew I was growing on Cayce here and there. It didn't matter. For now.

"Yes!" Flint shouted. "Finally broke my record on Mustard Party!"

"How long have you been on that game, Flint?" Logos asked. "Is that why you brought your phone?"

"And awesome. Just in time before my phone's dead."

Suddenly, an alarm goes off on the chopper that's missile warning. Just when we're about to land.

"What the fuck is that?" Cayce asked.

David looked outside the chopper to see a missile firing out of nowhere and headed straight for the chopper. Ready to shoot us out of the air.

"Incoming missile!" David warned. "Hang on!"

Then the missile hits the tail end of the helicopter and we're suddenly spinning out of control with our aircraft on fire and the pilots shouting "mayday". The five of us hang on to something with our seat belts tight enough to keep us from flying out of the chopper. I can feel the turbulence rushing through my nerves. This was the third time since Seattle and San Fran that I had to experience a crash landing. This was getting way too old. In a matter of seconds, we eventually hit the ground floor and I go black from the crash.

* * *

After the third and utterly unhappy landing I've experienced yet, I wake up in the grass out of the chopper that was now DOA and on fire seeing it totaled down. As my sight was returning normal, I could see David helping Cayce and the rest of the team off their feet. It'd be safe to see assume the pilots were killed in action if they were still in the cockpit. David notices me getting up and runs over to me to help me up. I take his arm with no injuries made for myself. Nobody else appeared to be injured either.

"You're still in one piece," said David as I took his hand. "Get up."

All of a sudden, the downed helicopter explodes like a claymore. Burning down even more so than before the explosion caused by the wreckage. Happy landing or no, this mission was being continued on foot.

"Come on," said David. "We need to get moving before the search parties get here."

"I swear," I said up on my feet. "That's the third crashing I've barely survived through in two fucking weeks! Next time I'm riding a chopper with flares, Commander."

"Shit, I broke my phone," said Flint. "That's like my third one ever!"

"I told you not to bring it," said Logos.

"Casualty report," asked David.

"Only the pilots are dead, sir," replied Cayce.

"Shit me. Alright, our window's not far from here. Let's move out."

 _"_ _Valor Two, this is HQ. AC-130 gunship support is on the way, but it'll take some time before they will be in a position to assist. Over."_

"Copy," replied David. "Valor Two out."

"An AC- 130, huh?" Cayce wondered. "Haven't worked with one of those since Portland."

"Alright, Valor," said David. "We all know what to do. Our mission stands. Cage and the rest of Valor One should have landed by now. We meet up with them, find any remaining civilians for rescuing, and get to that church where our so-known script will be. Let's move out."

 **Note: So there's that. The beginning of my next portion of David's side story from Kristine's point of view this time. Featuring another backstory segment involving her that I've decided to add in this episode for a reason you'll come to understand later forward. By now, I know you're all guessing which other familiar characters this segment of the side story will be involved this time. And I bet you know who. And I used Mustard Party 2 from Captain Spirit in this chapter too! Lol.**

 **Shout-out to all my readers of the Life Is Strange 2 teaser that just dropped a few days back and the reveal we'll be receiving later this month that'll likely be shown at this year's Gamescom. Also, there's an upcoming fan film adapting Before the Storm titled: "Dawn" that I'm looking forward to seeing too! A teaser for that just dropped on YouTube today! The creators of that fan film also made their own fan adaptation of the original game a while back as well. One that's titled "What if?". Named after the first title that was being developed for the original game's title.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	16. Sign of the Times

Chapter 16 Sign of the Times

Kate – Age 21 (POV)

Lynn – Age 14

Laura – Age 18

July 20th, 2017

6:09 PM

Canyon County, Idaho

Marsh Residence

 **9 hours earlier…**

It had been a frightful couple of weeks at home watching the ConDef attacks in Seattle and San Francisco on television. As well as the recent MIT raid on the news. Caldwell was under lockdown and no one was allowed inside the city due to possible ConDef activity incoming. It was a good thing my family and I lived out in the countryside of the county we lived in when we moved to Idaho. After Max saving me on the school roof four years ago, the Blackwell raid, Max's trial, and the Triple 4 attack in Portland, things were getting more safer and happier in Canyon County joining the church group my family and I entered after the pilgrimage.

I knew Victoria and her sorority group were in San Fran and I hoped they were still okay. I knew Warren and Brooke went to MIT and prayed they made it out alive. And I knew Max and Chloe were in Portland and according to the news, the city they moved to was under curfew and evacuation due to a possible ConDef incident. I too prayed for their safety as well. Not to mention Rachel and her skeevy boyfriend Frank who kept in touch with from time to time also. They were in Vancouver last time I emailed them and no telling if ConDef was hitting Canada, they deserved prayers for me indeed.

My family and I all sat down at our dinner table saying our prayers before eating. Mom, Dad, my two sisters, and I shutting our eyes and folding our hands to pray to God for the safety of this family from ConDef terror. For our hopes for safety from God had not been dashed. Not yet.

"Dear God," said Dad beginning the prayer. "We gather to this table in hopes for our safety from the terror we've witnessed in Seattle and San Francisco. We ask that you recognize our dignity, our hopes, and our integrity to keep this family shielded from harm's way. From where we live, from where we breathe, the Lord has given us these lands where we are free from the violence that threatens our brave new world. May God bless us all. And may God bless the Marsh family. Amen."

We now feast on the dinner Mom made after our prayers were finished. Mom had made chicken with cornbread, potatoes, and corn for supper. She was a fine cook for the family. We all then started a conversation about what's been occurring across the country these past two weeks as we ate with our silverware.

"I still can't believe what we've been seeing on TV," said Laura. "First Seattle, then San Francisco, now Caldwell is expected to be hit too? I don't like this."

"Laura, whatever we've been seeing on the news," said Mom. "It's never going to happen here. The lockdown in Caldwell is only for precaution."

"I'd like to agree with Laura, Mom," said Lynn. "I don't want our family to get in the middle of this. None of us do."

"And we won't, Lynn," said Dad. "In the name of the Lord, this family will never be endangered from this ConDef nonsense happing on the news. Not here, not in Caldwell, not anywhere outside this house. I've made sure of that."

"I'm just more worried about my friends," I said. "Victoria was in San Francisco, Warren was in Cambridge, and Max was going to Vancouver last time I kept in touch. I haven't heard back from her since and I've only been able to contact Chloe for almost two weeks now."

"I'm sure Max is safe sound where she needs to be, Kate. I know you two were close back in Blackwell and this family is still in her debt for what she did for you back then. And she's the hero of Triple 4. A fighter. You know she can handle her own even if bad things were happening around her."

Suddenly, we hear noises outside our home. The sounds of gunshots and screams outside. My body is frozen and soon everyone at the table freezes in a panic as well. I swallow my last bit of food in my mouth before I can say anything. Dad is the first one to get off the table to investigate.

"Stay here," he warns everyone.

Somehow, I knew what was happening. I didn't want to believe it, but I was forced to. Mom goes with Dad to the windows to check out the situation. I insubordinate Dad's warning by actually getting off the table to see what was going on with my parents. Lynn and Laura chose to sit down and listen.

My dad peeks through the kitchen window with Mom to see ConDef soldiers forcing our neighbors out of their homes with guns. And soon they'll be breaking into our house as well. Now we were going to get it and this is where I get into my scarred phase.

"Richard, what's happening?" My mom questioned with fear.

"Sweet Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," said Dad. "It can't be. ConDef's here and they're rounding up the Stevensons outside."

"What do we do?!"

"Kate, go with your sisters into the basement! Mary, go with our daughters! I'll get my gun in case they come in here!"

"Dad, I'm scared!" I said. "What's going to happen?!"

"Just go with Lynn and Laura and do as your told!" Dad snapped. "Your mother will be with you!"

"What?!"

"Get inside the basement! Now!"

I quickly return to the dining table with my mother to fetch my sisters so we can hide in the basement together while my father runs for his rifle. Lynn and Laura look just as scared as I am when they see us.

"Mom, Kate, what's going on?" Lynn asked.

"It's ConDef!" I warned. "They're here!"

"What?!" Laura questioned.

"Lynn, Laura, go with Kate into the basement!" Mom warned. "Your father's getting his gun! We have to hide now!"

Then I just remembered. I still had my bunny Alice in my bedroom to take care of. To me, she was part of the family and I could just leave her for the ConDef to possibly hurt her as well.

"Mom, I have to get Alice!" I shouted.

"What?!" Mom thought.

"My rabbit, Alice! I'm taking her with me!"

"Kate, no! Just leave her!"

"I'm not leaving her! She has to come with!"

Without Mom scolding me again to leave her behind, I race for my bedroom upstairs to fetch Alice in her cage while Dad gets his gun and the rest of my family gets into the basement. I storm into my room and see Alice safely in her cage as I grab hold of her cage and remove my pet out of there to take her with me. Then I run into Dad who just grabbed hold of his pump-action rifle.

"Kate, what in heaven's name are you doing here?!" Dad scolded. "Why aren't you in the basement?!"

"I had to get Alice!" I answered. "I'm taking her with me!"

Dad shook his head.

"You and that damn bunny!" He griped. "Come on!"

I run downstairs with Dad holding Alice's cage and find the basement's doors hidden under the floorboards. The doors were like a hatch to a secret bunker used for smuggling. No way for ConDef to find us down there.

Mom, Lynn, and Laura had already entered inside and Dad opens the door for Alice and I to get inside. Once everyone's in the basement and accounted for, Dad closes the hatch doors behind us with his gun in his arms. Ready to defend us from anyone discovering us. Just as soon as ConDef soldiers come kicking our front door down. Ready to purge our own household.

* * *

David

July 21st, 2017

3:05 AM

Canyon County, Idaho

Caldwell Farmlands

The five of us hide under a bridge where a convoy of ConDef trucks pass over and an enemy helicopter flies above with a searchlight scanning the ground. We're well hidden under the bridge to make sure neither the convoy or heli can find us. Once the enemy vehicles and aircraft have passed, I order the team to move out.

"Alright, let's move," I ordered.

I take point away from the bridge with Cayce, Kristine, Flint, and Logos and lead the team into a small homestead down in front. We could hear voices of tangos nearby where they were likely coming from the place we were entering. I stand next to a door to a barn where we could cautiously enter through.

"Hold up," I said. "We've got company."

My team and I enter the small barn with caution to a man outside being cornered by a squad of ConDef soldiers surrounding him and interrogating. I held my team back with our guns trained on the enemy troopers threatening the man we saw through the windows of the barn. Hidden inside until I ordered weapons free.

"Alright," I said. "Let's top these bastards before they kill the old man."

One of the ConDef soldiers pulled out a sidearm and was ready to shoot the man dead in the face. Until gave the order to open fire and we shoot down every one of the ConDef troopers while avoiding the civilian. Despite our effort of avoiding friendly fire, the civilian was shot anyways through the kidney as the ConDef soldier holding the pistol had pressed the trigger while being shot to death. The poor man crawled to the corner wall of his house for safety while bleeding from the bullet wound in the ribs.  
As soon as we killed the group of tangos in front of us, we stepped out of the barn to secure the area and the wounded civilian. Good thing I've brought a medic in my group who was Kristine.

"Area clear," said Cayce.

"Alright," I said. "Let's keep moving."

"Hold on, David," said Kristine. "That poor man needs our help. He's been hit."

We approach the man with caution to check on his status. He was hit bad. We could see the bullet had entered his kidney and damaged his ribs. Making him bleed on the ground as he sat against the wall tempting to fight through the pain.

"Chrysalis," said the man coughing. "Should've guessed."

"Are you okay?" I asked. "How bad did they hit you?"

"Bad enough to nearly destroy my ribs…"

The man coughed again. There wasn't much life left in the man. We may not have time for medical attention, but it would be common courtesy for us to give him the treatment now.

"It's terrible enough you almost shoot me when you killed those fuckers," he continued. "Now you lack the decency to shoot them before they had a gun to my face."

"Is there anything we can do for you?" I asked.

As the man was still succumbing to his wound, he reached out for a gun in his pocket to make sure we didn't come any closer. He didn't look too trusting even for people in Chrysalis uniforms.

"Get away from me, Chrysalis!" The man warned. "Your kind has done too much already! You're the reason ConDef did this to me. Your feigned pity is the final insult."

"We need to find a Church somewhere in the county," I said. "Do you know where we can find it?"

"Chrysalis looking for a place where Chrysalis can sympathize? I hope the ConDef burn that church to the ground."

The man was beginning to cough out blood. He would be dead in any second or minute now. Kristine had to heal him immediately.

"I hope you…I hope…damn it," said the man coughing blood. "Damn you. Can't…"

"Hey, stay with me!" Kristine advised. Attempting to heal the man by applying pressure on the wound. She reached for her med kit for gauze and tools to do the best she can. "This won't cure the wound, but it'll stop the bleeding."

Kristine held the pressure until she got out the gauze and stitches to treat his wound. The bullet seemed to have gone through his skin so there was no need to pull it out with a certain procedure of any kind. Once the man was patched up, Kris helped him on his feet and the bleed had stopped.

"You…you helped me," said the healed civilian. "Why?"

"I told you we were looking for a church," I said. "Would you rather we let you choke on your blood?"

"I suppose not. What do you wish to know?"

"Why is ConDef behind all this?"

"I don't know and I don't give a fuck. I might've overheard them talking about something hidden under the church. That could be why they're here."

"That doesn't sound too surprising," said Logos. "Cuz we're for the same thing they are."

"We need to find that church," I said. "Where is it?"

"Just across the farmland we've made here," said the civilian. "I hear people are gathering there from these ConDef raids. I used to go there every Sunday. Whatever you hope to find there, I hope you find what you're looking for. I think Chrysalis is supposed to be there too protecting the refugees. I was too afraid to go and worried I'd be caught by ConDef and that's exactly what happened."

"We can send a rescue team to escort you if that sound fine."

"Fine by me. In this sign of the times, I'll pray to the lord for my life to be protected by your own authorities."

 **Note: So yeah, you all knew Kate Marsh was coming at some point to have her minor role to play in Eternity War. And why not? Perhaps this story would be a lot more interesting if it had more familiar characters to write in compared to my Lost Daughter mini-series. Bringing together a culmination of all the characters we've come to know and love in Life Is Strange and Before the Storm is an excellent way to make a final chapter for my way of closing Max Caulfield's story in Eternity War. Like Marvel has done with Infinity War and the upcoming Avengers 4. I hope you all appreciate that.**  
 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**

 **P.S. In the first Life Is Strange game, Kate mentions one of her sister's is named Lynn who was 10 at time of that game's events. In this story's timeline, it would make her 14. Kate also has a father named Richard and an unnamed mother and sister a few years older than Lynn who's unnamed as well. So I just game them names that I liked and stuck with them. Thank you.**


	17. Hidden In Plain Sight

Chapter 17 Hidden In Plain Sight

Rachel

July 21st, 2017

8:15 AM

Rome, Italy

Colosseum

Max, Bryan, and I entered the Colosseum through the broken fence and we step inside to a wide-open arena-like battleground that was centuries old. The inner Colosseum featured a maze of some sort where people would train or battle surrounded by elevated bleacher stands made of masonry stonework centuries in the making. Make me wonder why Arthur and Ezra would hide the Reality Shard in a place like this?

When we enter the maze portion of the Colosseum, the view outside was as stellar as the view at the lighthouse in Arcadia Bay. Frank and I could use a vacation like this. If only he were here to see this now rather than going to the Ludus Magnus with Alex. I hear the Vatican is too a heavenly attraction to go to.

"Wow," said Bryan. "This place is in much better shape than the other attractions in Rome."

"I hear the Vatican is a solid place to go to too," I said. "Wish Frank and I could go there now."

Max spotted a sigil on the ground in the center of the maze. Ezra Prescott's sigil. More importantly, the Herd of Whales sigil. Which was the sigil of a humpback whale.

"Ezra Prescott's sigil," said Max. "Just like his diary said."

"So what are we looking for?" Bryan asked.

"Good question."

There was a bell tower built over the elevated structures surrounding the Colosseum's maze on the far top. Right in the direction we walked to next. Maybe the answer to what we're looking for to find the shard is in the bell tower of the Colosseum. That's where we walk to next.

Bryan and I follow Max out of the maze and indoors into the bell tower. When we're in the tower, we take a nice good glance above us. Structures, stairs, gears, and mechanisms built above us that reached out as far as the eye can see.

"Holy wowser," said Max.

"This is a very tall bell tower," I said.

"Yes, yes it is."

Max sees a pedestal sticking out of the floor of the bottom ground and finds a shape inside it that looks like it could fit through something. She remembered the Eon Codex she used to unlock the projectable map back at Castle Camelot and figured maybe the shape was a slot made for the codex.

"Hmm," she said. "Now what do you bet…?"

Max stuck the codex through the slot and the pedestal was moving. Then the floor below it was moving. The codex was certainly the key to something. Max laughed.

"Oh, ho," said Bryan. "I think we're onto something."

The floor below the pedestal was a compass marked with an N, S, E, and W to point out all four directions. The tiles with the direction symbols rotated into tiles with symbols. The codex was also rotating statues on the walls of the symbols marked on the rotating tiles. Four statues in counting. A statue of a scorpion, a man pouring a pitcher, a lion, and a bull.

"Scorpion," I said. "Guy with a…large pitcher…"

"They're zodiac symbols," said Max. "Look, there's Leo."

"Ah, and Taurus," said Bryan.

"Yeah, four signs."

"And four bells way up there."

Bells were ringing above us. And not the bell at the highest peak, but the bells under it built for the zodiac statues and symbols. I bet they had to be rung in order to find the Reality Shard hidden in plain sight. It was going to be a long way up to do so.

"And these things in the middle of the floor look like locks," I said.

"I got it," said Max. "Let's go ring some bells."

The were some stair steps being raised out of the ground when the codex activated the puzzle. I pull the codex out of the slot and tell Bryan to call Alex and tell her we've already found the Reality Shard's chamber. Or rather how to get to it.

"This is definitely the right place," I said. "Call Alex."

"On it," said Bryan pulling out his phone.

"Scorpio, Aquarius, Leo, Taurus."

"Voicemail. Hey, Alex. Looks like the Colosseum is the place after all. Call us."

"They don't have the best coverage in this city," said Rachel.

"Well, no reason to wait," I said. "I'll be right back."

I run up the long stairwell over to the four bells linked to the four zodiac symbols and statues. I was going to need to ring the bells in a specific order. First Scorpio, then Aquarius, then Leo, and then Taurus. I get on the floor in the tower where Scorpio's bell was built.

The bell was set between two Scorpio statues to signify where Scorpio's bell was. There was crank next to the bell that I could use to ring it by turning the crank. I walk over to it to do so. Ringing it this close could damage my ears more than a pair of Beats. This going to get loud.

I hold the handle of the crank with two hands and turn it forward until the loudest ring I've heard echoes through my eardrums. I cover my two ears with my two hands to shield my potential deafness.

"Agh! Okay, that is really loud!" I cried.

As soon as the bell was rung, Scorpio's statue downstairs rotated unlocking one of the tiles on the puzzle. That's only step one considered.

"Hey, Max!" Bryan shouted downstairs. "That did the trick! The Scorpio lock just released!"

"Okay!" I shout back. "Moving on to the next one!"

Next step, Aquarius. The next bell I had to ring was down one floor. I walk down the floor below me to get to Aquarius's bell. That was built between two Aquarius statues like Scorpio's bell and the others. Same drill as before. Turn the crank, ring the bell, and unlock Aquarius's lock. I do just the thing and another loud as hell ring nearly blows my ears out.

"Jesus!" I said covering my ears.

Aquarius's statue downstairs rotates and unlocks another tile on the puzzle.

"Two down, two to go, Max!" Rachel shouted.

Next stop, Leo. Which was on the same floor as Aquarius. I walk over to Leo's bell, turn the crank, ring the bell, and cover my ears. I could really go for some ear plugs by now. Of course, Leo's statue is rotated and the third tile is unlocked.

"Leo is unlocked!" Bryan shouted.

Only one bell left. Which was Taurus's located on the same floor as Scorpio's above me. I walk back up there to ring the last bell and blow what was left of my hearing out.

"Hey, Bryan!" I shouted. "Any word from Alex?"

"Not yet!" Bryan shouted.

"Yeah, she's probably fine. Maybe just forgot to charge her phone."

Finally, I make it to Taurus's bell, turn the crank forward, and ring the bell as loud as it got and covered my ears for effort. I may not have gotten completely deaf over ringing four loud ass bells one at a time, but I was about to. At least it was the last bell I had to ring.

At last, Taurus's statue rotated, the last tile unlocked, and now the floor with the pedestal transformed into Ezra's sigil. Also known as, the Herd of Whales sigil.

"Max, that did it!" Rachel shouted.

"Great!" I shouted.

"Taurus is unlocked and Ezra's sigil just appeared in the floor!" Bryan shouted.

"And?!"

And then nothing else happened. Until I heard the big bell ring on the top floor of the bell tower. The final step to unlocking the Reality Shard's chamber.

"Fuck, that's it!" Rachel shouted. "Nothing!"

"Well, hey!" I shouted. "There is that big bell at the top! Hold on! I'm heading on up!"

"Okay!" Bryan shouted. "Watch yourself!"

"'Kay, here we go."

I climb my feet up the stairwell to the top floor where the main big bell was built. It was a long walk up, but I knew they didn't have elevators to use to get up quicker. When I reached the top, it was beautiful out. I was able to step outside near the railings at the top to commend the view of Rome I glanced at. I was up so high on the Colosseum's bell tower, I can clearly see my house from up here. Even though it was all the way back in Portland where I lived. Just figure of speech.

"Okay, Bryan!" I shouted. "I made it!"

 _"_ _Alright, Max!"_ Bryan shouted from five-hundred feet downstairs. _"Go for it!"_

The crank was right in front of me. The big bell tethered to it was as big as a boulder. Now things were going to get louder than ever. Just when my eardrums were beginning to adjust from the painful volume. Not only that but since I was ringing a huge ass bell, that meant turning the crank would be extremely heavier than before. Here goes nothing. This is gonna be loud.

I put my two hands on the crank like before and start turning it forward. I give it as much muscle as I can with heavier weight put on from the enormous bell. Right before the crank snaps loose with the rope snapped and the gears collapsing all the downstairs where the chamber entrance would be open.

"Bryan, Rachel, head up!" I warned.

I can hear the gears and crank landing from where Bryan and Rachel stood. The broken mechanisms had almost fallen on them both and took them out.

 _"_ _Jesus!"_ Bryan shouted. _"What the hell happened?!"_

"Sorry!" I apologized. "The handle broke!"

 _"_ _Yeah,"_ echoed Rachel. _"Well try not to drop anything else on our heads, alright?!"_

"I'm gonna have to ring it myself."

The only alternative in ringing the bell myself was by swinging onto the ringer hanging from the bell. I wasn't to keen on swinging around on a ringer five-hundred feet to my death, but Super Max has got to do what Super Max has got to do.

I cautiously jump onto the ringer with enough momentum on my arc and I hang onto the handle of the ringer as tight as could. I was beginning to swing on the ringer like an acrobat and build up enough momentum on my swing until the ringer bangs on the bell and releases the loudest ring I've ever heard. Not only although did it hurt my hearing more than the first four times, but the ring was so loud, it began to crack the wood holding the bell together. I can feel the bell coming down on me. Now I was in for a great fall. A fall higher than the rise and fall of Kate Marsh from four years earlier and Fernando's fall from just an hour in a half ago.

"Oh, shit!" I panicked.

I fall down with the bell collapsing with me and I land on a big gear with it that breaks my fall. Soon the whole infrastructure would be coming down on Rachel and Bryan as well and they had to be warned.

"Rachel, Bryan, get the fuck out of the way!" I thundered.

The gear I landed on comes collapsing as well and tilts to the side. Causing me to slide down on more gears and hang onto them to catch my fall. Then the gear I hold onto come spinning out of control and I'm forced to rapidly climb on the spinning gear as fast as I could like a hamster on the wheel. And then I see the bell crashing down on the bottom floor as Bryan and Rachel dodged out of the way in time before it hit the floor and smashed itself into dust.

I had seen a rope that tied to one of the mechanisms. I drop down from the gear I held onto, slid down the rope, and hit the floor landing on my back. The velocity of the debris that had collapsed had done a real number on the bottom floor around me. My back felt it had almost snapped into from my impact, but it really didn't. It only ached a little. Otherwise, I'd end up like AR Chloe. Bryan and Rachel were safe. I gradually get up on my feet and hold my back with my hands to cull the pain.

"Holy shit," I said. Shaking off my back pain.

And finally, another gear hits the floor next to me before it lands on top of me. Right before the falling down was over. The bell from the top floor had cracked open like an egg upon decent from where it hanged to down here. The secret chamber to the Reality Shard had opened during the descent. Another stairwell that traveled downwards this time into the chamber that awaits us. Rachel and Bryan ran over to me to confirm my status.

"Jesus H. Christ," said Rachel.

"Hey, Rachel," I said. "Hey, Bryan. Oh, shit. At least I got the door open though, huh?"

"That's one way to do it," said Bryan. "You alright?"

"I don't yet. You?"

"Deaf."

"Same," said Rachel.

"C'mon," I said. "Let's see what Ezra has in store for us."


	18. Hunted

Chapter 18 Hunted

Cayce

July 21st, 2017

3:16 AM

Canyon County, Idaho

Caldwell Farmlands

After leaving the wounded man behind for pickup when Kristine healed him, it was time to move out on David's go. We still yet had a lot of ground to walk before reaching the church. No telling how much ConDef we'll be encountering. David led Kristine, Flint, Logos, and I down a hay field across the farmlands to stay on our window. I'm more concerned if Cage and the other half of Valor made it to the ground safely. We would radio contact them, but David suggested we'd listen for them first.

When coming across the field, a helicopter propeller was heard. Meaning enemy aircraft was inbound with a searchlight scanning the ground floor. We acted instantly on David's orders.

"Spotlight!" David warned. "Hit the deck!"

The five of us fall flat on the ground to play dead so the light wouldn't see us moving. The enemy search chopper hovered a hundred feet above us. Turning its light left and right in search of hostiles or stragglers. I'm always nervous playing dead when a helicopter wants you to be, but the trick still works all the same.

"Stay down," said David. "Stay – down."

The helicopter leaves us behind to move forward and search other areas for other Chrysalis teams or civilians roaming the county. The enemy chopper that flew by was the same one that flew over the enemy convoy driving over the bridge we hid earlier. Before running into the old man attacked by the ConDef patrol. If that chopper was looking for us, we knew we were being hunted.

"The heli's moving away," said David. "Let's go."

My team and I got out of the grass and continued marching forward. There was another small farmhouse on our twelve. The only way forward was through there and the only way inside was through a basement hatch locked tight with a padlock. On top of that, we were facing more ConDef on our six.

"Contact, six-o-clock!" I warned.

"Return fire!" David ordered.

I took cover behind a tractor with David and Kristine and fired away on the ConDef sentries as the fired back. Logos and Flint were in charge of the door and we covered them.

"Logos, Wheeler, we'll hold them off!" David spat. "Get that basement door open now!"

"We're on it!" Logos complied.

Meanwhile, as we released our bullets against the enemy infantry, the helicopter that just passed by returned with its searchlight still on and would soon be ready to fire on us to give the ConDef force air support. We had to get inside fast. The chopper was getting closer and the sentries were beginning to advance. Luckily, Flint and Logos were quick enough to break the padlock open so we could race ourselves inside the basement to safety.

"The door's open, sir!" Flint shouted.

"Get in the house!" David barked. "Go! Go!"

Logos and Flint hold the basement doors open for us and David, Kristine, and I run inside before the chopper and sentries could catch up to us. Then our two doormen shut the basement doors behind us as we can hear the bullets banging on the metal and we lock the doors behind us with a board to seal the doors shut. Leaving the ConDef forces in the dust. For now.

Little did we know that there were civilians still inside the house and hidden in the very basement we just entered. A man and women stood in front of us with our hands up startled that we might hurt them. A husband and wife perhaps. We withdrew our guns to let them know we mean no harm.

"Please don't hurt us!" The woman shrieked. "We want no trouble!"

"Hold on," said the man. "You're not-"

"We're not ConDef," assured David. "We're with Chrysalis. We come in peace."

"Oh, thank god," said the woman. "You're friendly."

"When we saw you coming into that basement," said the man. "We thought those ConDef had found us."

"Sorry for the intrusion, sir," I said. "We didn't figure someone was still in this house when busted our way in here."

"We heard the gunfire and a helicopter flying by," said the woman. "Figured someone was coming in, but not Chrysalis."

"You're safe now, ma'am," said Kristine. "With us. Hopefully, ConDef won't be able to find us here."

"Ever since the raids started," said the man. "ConDef have been out to get us. They're killing as many people they find."

"State your name, sir," said David. "And why is ConDef hunting you down?"

"I'm Ben," said the man. "This is my wife, Ida. No clue what ConDef is up to or why they're killing everyone."

"We didn't do anything," said the woman named Ida. "Pretty much every ConDef combatant in the farmlands want us dead."

"I think they have some interest about something at the church some miles from where we live," said Ben. "Of all the places ConDef could hit in this country, not sure why it had to be here. God knows how many of us they've already killed."

"They should be hitting places like D.C. or New York or whatever big city protected by Chrysalis in the U.S. Not us! Ever since the raids hit, they've been taking over the whole county."

"You said ConDef were moving into the church?" David asked.

"Right after the county was under curfew," said Ida. "Unsure why ConDef would want to go there. It's a misunderstanding."

"Not sure where they came from," said Ben. "Never seen many ConDef around before. Other than from what we've seen on the news. Sure seemed like they were ready for this."

"Only nobody thinks ConDef find this place vulnerable enough to hit. We're part of a church group that goes to the same church they're heading to now and it's inexcusably ridiculous ConDef of all people would find that a place of interest."

"You said ConDef was taking over the entire Canyon County?" I asked.

"Trying to," said Ben. "ConDef don't go down easy. The raids have increased by the hour and we've been stuck down here in our own basement hiding from those monsters for over eight hours with no sleep. Chrysalis is getting pushed back. The deeper you go into the county, the more ConDef you'll see. Unless they see you first."

"Are you absolutely sure your church group isn't hiding anything ConDef might be interested in at all?" Kristine asked.

"Not at all," said Ben. "If you want all the answers, ask our local pastor. He might know something the rest of our group doesn't.

"As long as you pay your monthly protection fees," said Ida. "Everything else was cool. Rates were pretty reasonable. For Canyon and Caldwell, at least."

"Then this damn raid hit. Everyone was getting rounded up on the knees with their hands behind their hand and a bullet in the back of their heads. ConDef was going crazy and the whole country turned into a war zone."

"What else can you tell us about the raids?" David asked. "When did it start?"

"The first signs cropped up about nine hours ago," said Ben. "Nobody paid much attention until it started going down. The city and the county were under lockdown just a day ago and they told us all to lock our doors and shut our windows. Even after the assurance, ConDef still broke in. They're just as bad as the media describes."

"That's when everyone noticed ConDef was here," said Ida. "Then the lockdown was breached and everything went to hell."

"What did they do?" I asked.

"Not sure," said Ben. "They probably forced everyone out of their houses, lined them up to be shot down like rabid dogs, all those kinds of horrors. It's unspeakable how it'd all come down to where we live. By now it's clear that they gun victims down and burn the bodies in the grass. It's a shame not many of you Chrysalis folks are out here to help. People are dying by the dozens."

"Our mission is to get to the church," said David. "We need to find what ConDef is after before they do and gather as many civilians over there as we can for rescuing."

"You're people there for rescuing?" Ben asked. "We didn't know. Isn't that where ConDef is going now?"

"Chrysalis is taking all the refugees we can there for evac," said Kristine. "In the meantime, we have a mission of our own and we can send a rescue team to pick you up."

"Well I'm glad someone's taking in refugees now," said Ida. "Finally, some protection offered from ConDef."

"Sure," said Ben. "A bunch of military-grade war pigs helping people for free. On Canyon? Grow up."

"Sounds like you don't think much of Chrysalis, do ya?" I asked.

"I think we've seen a small Chrysalis force out there trying to muscle in earlier. They were all gunned down by a helicopter just like that. Pop, pop, pop. Didn't stand a chance."

"Then ConDef was getting curious on where everyone in the neighborhood could be," said Ida. "That could one other reason they're headed to the church at this moment. Any Chrysalis forces that were wanting to help us out earlier were probably all done away with by that helicopter with the spotlight. ConDef is cold and desperate. Taking extreme measure to do what they do."

"You can't stay trapped in this house," said David. "If you get to the church, you might at least survive until the lockdown ends."

"Are you nuts?!" Ida muttered. "We'd never make it. The farmlands are crawling with ConDef. We don't even have guns!"

"Besides," said Ben. "I'm not risking my life on a rumor that Chrysalis might offer me sanctuary."

"I know you're scared," said David. "But your only hope is to get to the church. We're going to be under fire from ConDef. So we can't take you with us. Like my lieutenant said, we'll send a rescue team after you. I will promise you this. We'll do what we can to leave you a safe for you and the team to follow us. It's risky, but I think it's your only chance."

"Okay, you're right," said Ben. "We'll never make it if we stay here. We have to try. We'll wait here for a while until your rescue team arrives and give you time to clear the way. Then we'll head for the church. If we're lucky, maybe we'll meet you there."

As soon as we left the civilians named Ben and Ida, David orders me to take point and look for an exit upstairs. David had radioed HQ for another pickup for civilians to the church as I did. I lead the team upstairs out of the basement and exit the front door of the house. Minutes ago, we just encountered sentries outside the house and a chopper willing to shoot us down and now there was no one and nothing to be seen. This was odd.

The team and I were walking into a small neighborhood with other farmhouses, gardens, and mills. It was too quiet and empty. We needed to keep our guard up for an ambush. I could sense one with my survival instincts tingling.

"It's too quiet," said Logos. "Where the hell did they go?"

"They're probably regrouping," I said. "Trying to cut us off somewhere up ahead."

"Stay sharp," said David.

Suddenly, we could hear the barking of dogs a few feet away. Then we see attack hounds racing towards us like wolves. Ready to show their bites worse than their barks. Our weapons were free and we shot the dogs down. Then more ConDef sentries appeared out of nowhere setting the ambush in motion. Just as I predicted. The next thing Valor Team and I did was run and gun through the neighborhood and shoot anything that moved.

ConDef soldiers were shooting from windows, fences, and wall corners. As predictable as they made themselves so, they were an easy target for me to shoot with my rifle. Everyone else thought the same. It's what they taught me in the academy to avoid an ambush like this anyways. After running through the small residential boundary, shooting ConDef soldiers and attack dogs down, we were no making another contact with the attack chopper for the third time. Overhearing the propellers on approach.

"Hold on," I said. "The helicopter's back."

Luckily, the helicopter was a bit further away for us to worry about this time. We could only see it and hear farther out in front of us with its searchlight still lighting the ground. It would seem they were no longer aware of our presence. Since it flying in the opposite direction from us.

"It looks like they don't know where we are," said David. "Let's keep it that way. Alright, let's press on. Move."

The five of us press on into water stream in a ditch that would take us under another bridge. Where a convoy of ConDef vehicles was present too.

"Hold up," ordered David. "Sentries on the bridge up ahead."

Of course, the enemy helicopter had to return closer to us and fly above the convoy. The searchlight was now skimming into the ditch and we all hid in some bushes on the side to avoid it.

"Stay out of the spotlight," said David.

We see the light skim across the stream. We remain undetected and the helicopter leaves. It was time for us to leave too.

"Let's move," said David. "But stay low."

While moving and staying low, we walk into another hayfield in the middle of another homestead in the residential farmlands. Only this time, ConDef soldiers were posted patrolling the field with lights on. We stayed hidden behind some hay rolls to avoid detection. Our guns weren't silenced and it was going to be impossible to keep a low profile. On David's command, we freed our weapons on the patrols and shot as many as we could until the ones standing fired back.

"Return fire and head for the far end of the field!" David ordered. "Move!"

As the team and our enemies fired back at one another, the helicopter reappeared again and was prepared to open fire. We weren't going to get much cover out in the open from enemy air support. We were going to need shelter fast. There was greenhouse next to the field that could give us the advantage and the five of us make a break for it while we still could.

"Watch out for the helicopter!" David warned. "Get inside the greenhouse! Now!"

Even when the team and I having a roof for cover when entering the greenhouse, we still had company outside on the ground floor. Sentries coming out of sheds and another greenhouse. The helicopter was still on us. Shining its light on us and spraying heavy bullets on us. Through the roof and hitting the dirt. We manage to hold off the ground tangos, but we couldn't stay inside for long. When the enemy chopper held fire, that's when we run out.

When we're out in the open again, the helicopter only ceased fire to target us at another angle. We were sitting ducks out here and running out of shelter. I'm proud we didn't take the civilians with us. Because if we did, they wouldn't get more than five miles out here with us before they could get mowed down in the crossfire. They'll thank us later assuming we can cleanse this mess for them once they're picked up by the SOS team we sent for them.

"That helicopter's making another pass!" David warned. "Find some overhead cover!"

The obvious place to take overhead cover was the barn in the vicinity. What would a homestead be without a barn? My team and I run inside the barn to keep our heads and skins intact as soon as the helicopter fired on our angle. We had nowhere to run. Bullets were chipping through the wood of the barn and we needed a plan to get the chopper out of commission ASAP. Then Kristine spotted a weapon that could be used to shoot it down.

"Commander Madsen," she said. "We got a stinger in the barn!"

"Cayce, grab the stinger and take out that chopper!" David ordered. "Move!"

I snatch the stinger launcher out of the barn and run outside to blow the chopper sky high. The heavy weapon was pretty heavy to hold with my hands, arms, and over my shoulder, but this chopper was going down whatever it takes. The stinger weapon was a lock-on weapon. I aim down my sights at the chopper. The targeting alarm started ringing until I hear the locking noise and fire away. Only for the missile to redirect itself to a flare the helicopter releases to avoid my fire.

"Que carajo!" Logos snapped. "He's popping flare! This won't be easy!"

"Cayce, grab another stinger and fire again!" David barked. "Let's put him to the test!"

There was one last stinger with one last missile lying around in the barn. I pick the stinger up, aim for the helicopter, lock on my target, and fire away. This time with no flares released. Instead, I hit him with my best shot and the missile explodes on impact. Sending the chopper spinning out of control with a flaming mark from my direct hit and eventually the chopper hits the grass and blasts away. Destroying and totaling it once and for all.

"Fucking nice shooting there, Cayce," commented Logos.

"Good work, Cayce," said David. "Everyone on me. Let's move out."

"Who the hell keeps a stinger in their own barn?" Flint asked.

"It's probably not theirs, Flint," said Kristine. "It was ConDef's as soon as they were posted here."

"Yeah, I knew that."

 **Note: So I've just seen the new Life is Strange 2 trailer and it's gameplay at Gamescom. I'm sure you all have as well if you're reading this. Looks promising with Max and Chloe out of the scene and with the new characters Sean and Daniel created for the LISU. To let you all know, my writing schedule may be getting slower again do to my junior year in art school happening in two weeks and more relaxing and busy things to do in my life. Such as work and gaming. Whatever it'd be.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	19. Founders

Chapter 19 Founders

Max

July 21st, 2017

8:31 AM

Rome, Italy

Colosseum

Bryan, Rachel, and I had to lift some fingers for each other to move some fallen debris away from the stairs to get into the Reality Shard's secret passage. After all the heavy lifting, the path was clear enough for us to walk down the stairwell opened for us from ringing all the bells that half-deafened me and the collapsing debris that destroyed half the tower's staircase afterward. Security isn't going to be too pleased to what we've done when the tours open, but we get that Reality Shard and nothing else matters for us. Sucks to be everyone else.

We walked down the secret stairwell into Ezra's secret lair. Fingers crossed for the Reality Shard at last. Bryan's phone vibrated in his pocket and pulled it out to pick it up. Alex got our voicemail.

"Alex, finally, are you okay?" Bryan asked on the phone.

 _"_ _Just searched the Ludus Magnus with Frank,"_ said Alex. _"We got nothing."_

"Yeah, well, we're definitely in the right place. Make your way over here."

 _"_ _Are you serious? Okay, we're on our way."_

Bryan hung up and put away his phone.

"They're coming," he said.

"Good," I said.

The whole stairwell was lit with candelabrums. All the way down, this lair still looked nice for something over a century old. There was a door at the bottom of the stairs. My uncle and I open them ahead of me to reveal Ezra's secret lair before us. And lo and behold, a luminous chamber lit by a flaming chandelier on the ceiling and decorated by a statue of Ezra Prescott and Jeremiah Blackwell.

"Wowser," I said.

"Hey, are those our boys?" Rachel asked.

"Yup. Ezra Prescott and Jeremiah Blackwell: partners in crime."

Jeremiah's statue certainly resembled the statue seen on the courtyard fountain at Blackwell Academy. Ezra's statue was all new to me. In the middle of the room, stood a table of some kind facing our eyes instead of the ceiling. There were tablets of some kind attached to the table with herd symbols marked on them. The three of us approach the table and I come close enough to observe the two tablets in the center. A whale and a bigfoot. The sigils of Ezra and Jeremiah. A way for Jeremiah's sigil to become Blackwell's mascot.

There was also something dusted on the table that seems to be covering a word. I wiped the dust away with my hand and the word read: **FOUNDERS**.

"Founders of what?" I thought.

"Worst scavenger hunt ever?" Bryan joked.

I chuckled.

"Here are Ezra and Jeremiah's sigils," I said. "These are a little different though."

"Yeah," said Rachel. "They got those star patterns on them."

The two sigil tablets were able to turn when I rotated one of them. They appeared to be pieces of a puzzle. Question was, which way are they supposed to go? Best guess was that they were supposed to match the star patterns as seen on the tablets. I rotate them both to the correct pattern and then they attach themselves to connect the dots and then other tablets on the table move around to replace the first two with three others in the center.

Then a door opens to our left. It must go without saying, but this is yet another Rubik's cube puzzle for Max Caulfield to solve. And it starts by going where the left secret door just opened.

"Okay," said Bryan. "Should we go look?"

"Yeah," I said. "Just a second."

The three new tablets were printed with sigils of two skeletons, a Pegasus, and a dragon. I knew who these sigils belonged to from Ezra's diary.

"Adam Baldric, Anna Laurie, and uh, Christoph Carter," I said.

All three of Ezra's people who belonged to the Herd of Whales. This time, it was impossible for me to turn the tablet anywhere since there were too many dots around them to connect. Maybe that room could give us the hints.

"I mean there's too many permutations," I said.

"I say we see where that door leads," said Rachel. "Still hoping for a shard here."

"You and me both."

The three of us enter the secret room to our left and find three portraits of Baldric, Laurie, and Carter. With a plaque of their names printed above. Three of the founding members of the Herd of Whales. The room was lit with candelabrums for us to see inside.

"Hey, look," I said. "I was right. Baldric, Laurie, and Carter."

"Splendid," said Bryan. "But why are they here in the first place?"

"Well let's find out."

I step towards Adam Baldric's portrait who was a man with a black beard like Uncle Bryan's. Pretty much looked just like him if he had anything to do with it.

"Wowser," I said. "That beard. It's almost as impressive as yours, Bryan."

"Eh, it's alright," said Bryan.

When looking closely at the portrait, I spotted a square shape printed on the painting. One marked with stars like the ones on the table were marked with. That's one clue found already.

"Hey, look at these stars," I said. "They're just like the ones on the Ezra and Jeremiah sigils in the other room."

"Hey, you're right," said Rachel.

If I was going to remember this piece of the puzzle, I would need to write it down somewhere to memorize. Since Alkaline took Fernando's journal and Ezra's journal was booked, I would need to use my journal I write and draw on every day to figure out this puzzle. To do that, I drew the sigils of Baldric, Laurie, and Carter and marked them with their star patterns. I marked the patterns down for Baldric and moved onto Carter's.

Carter had facial hair similar to Baldric's. Also had an iron hand built for a prosthetic right hand. I can remember a nickname he was given for that when reading Ezra's diary. Carter's star pattern was printed on his portraiture just like Baldric's

"Ah, that's right," I said. "Carter went by 'Chris One-Hand'. Guess he had made one. Here's another one of those star patterns."

"Yeah," said Bryan. "But this one's different than the first one."

"Oh, yeah. Good catch."

"Thank you. See, I'm not just a pretty face."

"You got that right," said Rachel.

I mark down Carter's pattern and the portrait next to Carter's was Laurie's. A redhead woman wearing a straw hat and dark clothes.

"Huh, Laurie was a redhead," I said.

"Yeah," said Rachel.

Laurie's pattern marked in my diary and the three patterns from the three portraits were set for the puzzle.

"What do you think?" Bryan asked.

"Those Ezra and Jeremiah sigils," I said. "The stars on those lined up, remember? I bet these line up too."

I analyze the patterns for a second and I believe I'm on the right track. Line up the sigils in the correct direction so the star patterns can connect to one another. I return to the table with the sigils with Bryan and Rachel and line them up in the direction I calculated. The two skeletons (Baldric) leftward, the Pegasus (Laurie) rightward, and the dragon (Carter) rightward. And viola.

As soon as the sigils are in order, another pair of sigils come railing over for the next piece of the puzzle. Along with another secret doorway opening on the right. Leading to another room with more portraits and patterns guarantee.

"More of them," said Rachel. "And another doorway."

"Yeah," I said.

"So…who are these guys?"

"That's…um…they are ah…"

"You don't know do you?"

"Hey, they were a lot of herd members out there, you know."

"So we're stuck?"

"No, we're not stuck. Here, I'll use my phone."

"What, you're gonna phone a friend?"

"Close. Text a cousin."

I pull out my phone and use the camera to send a picture of the sigils to Alex. Before I do that, I take a quick funny photo of Bryan and Rachel standing next to the table.

"Bryan, Rachel, say cheese," I said.

"Max, c'mon," said Bryan.

"C'mon, say cheese."

Bryan sighed. Rachel rolled her eye. The two said cheese and I took the shot. I laughed.

"Say hello to my little friend," I said.

Then I turn my phone camera back to the sigils, snap the picture, and send it to Alex's number. Rachel, Bryan, and I walk down to the room on the right to find three more portraits with the names Willem Hayes, Richmond Need, and Joseph Barrell above them. Lit with candles between them. One of the portraits had fallen on the floor and would need to be set back on the wall again by the three of us.

"You know," said Rachel. "These are some actually nice paintings. Reminds me of Mark's work."

"Who's Mark?" I asked.

"You know who's Mark."

"Let's find those patterns."

"Okay, just saying."

For someone who knew how Mark worked as I did, I didn't think her of all people would bring it up to compare. There's a difference between a century-year-old portraiture and nineties to modern portraiture. And not for good.

I step toward the portrait of Willem Hayes to find his pattern. Hayes was an older man with white hair and had a seventeenth-century hairstyle to him.

"Willem Hayes," I said.

"American?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, from Oregon. Just like Jeremiah Blackwell."

As soon as I find Hayes' pattern on his portrait and mark it down in my diary, my phones buzzed in my pocket. I get a call from Alex and answer it.

"Hey, you still at the Magnus?" I asked on the phone.

 _"_ _Yeah, we just got out,"_ said Alex. _"What's with the picture you just sent?"_

"I'll fill you in later. For now, just tell me who's who?"

 _"_ _Well the dolphins are Richmond Need, the trident is Joseph Barrell, and the two hands with the pearl is Willem Hayes."_

"Alright, great. Stay where there's good reception. I might need your help again."

 _"_ _Wait, Max. Did you find the shard?"_

"No, not yet. But I got a mechanism to solve here. I'll let you know."

I got off the phone and turned to Richmond Need's portrait to mark down his pattern and so on. Need was a man painted in a room with books, maps, and globes. Must've been a scholar, professor, or astronomer of some kind.

"Book, globe," said Rachel. "This Need guy looks like a scholar."

"Hey, Richmond Need," I said. "He was the Captain of the Dolphin regiment."

"Whoo, looks like he and Baldric were in the best wig competition."

As soon as Need's pattern is written down, I had one more to jot down. But before that, we needed to get the fallen portrait off the floor and put it back on the wall. Bryan and Rachel give me a hand with it and the three of us lift the heavy portrait back in place. The portrait we set back up is the one of Joseph Barrell. The painted with an uptight face in his portraiture.

"God, look at Barrell's face," said Rachel. "Looks like he'd rather be somewhere else."

As soon as Barrell's pattern is drawn, I return to the table with Rachel and Bryan to get the sigil tablets in order. Dolphins (Need) upward, Trident (Barrell) leftward, two skeleton hands (Hayes) downward. As soon as the three are in are, they connect the star patterns and switch to one last pair of sigil tablets. This time four tablets instead of three. Then the last secret passage door opens in the center between the other two. Taking us to our final step in taking the shard as a worthy traveler.

"Oh, goddammit," said Bryan. "Okay, so who do we have here?"

"Ah…", I said.

"You know," said Rachel. "I'm honestly shocked the two of you don't know this stuff."

"Oh, we do. I just want to make sure Alex knows. You know? Because she likes to feel useful. That's all."

"Aha. Of course."

The four tablets showed sigils of a scale, a snake, a monkey, and a tiger. I snap a picture for Alex to see and send it to her immediately. The three of us step inside the last secret room and find the last portraits of four men with the last patterns. Two of the portraits were half burnt. Someone tried to burn them down but only crisped most of the wall between them. The burns looked pretty ancient. A century-old maybe. One of the candelabrums were burnt out and maybe that's how the burning was caused.

"Shit," said Bryan. "What happened here?"

"A torch probably fell or something," I said.

"Or one of those candelabrums could've fallen," said Rachel.

"C'mon," I said. "Let's see what's left."

I turn to one portrait unburnt and see one of Ezekiel Blackwell. Jeremiah's eldest brother and finding fathers of Arcadia Bay. As well as a notorious member of the Herd of Whales.

"Ezekiel Blackwell," I said.

"Stout little fellow," said Rachel. "I've seen a statue of that guy once at the overlook in Arcadia Bay."

As I draw Ezekiel's pattern, my phone buzzes again and I get a text from Alex.

"Oh," I said. "Alex texted my back."

 **Alex: Left to right: Ezekiel Blackwell, Tariq bin Malik, Yazid al-Basra. I've never seen the monkey guy before.**

"Ah, you see there Rach?" I asked. "Turns out Alex doesn't know everything either."

I turn to one of the unburnt portraits. One of the Indian herd members.

"Huh, Yazid al-Basra," I said.

"Looks Indian," said Rachel.

"Close. Mughal."

"Wait, aren't the Mughals the ones Ezra opposed?"

"Enemy of his enemy was his friend."

"Huh, yeah, like that's ever the case?"

I move onto the other burnt portrait. One of the Arabian herd member that was a man with dark skin and wearing Moorish looking clothing. The name plaque was burnt as well. So I couldn't read who he was. But it had to be Tariq bin Malik.

"Huh, no name," I said. "This guy's getup looks Moorish."

Once Malik's star pattern is drawn, I move to the next burnt portrait with the unrecognizable face. Whoever he was, he was painted with a monkey on his shoulder and looked a bit younger than the other founders of the herd.

"I don't recognize this guy," I said.

"Looks a lot younger than the other members," said Rachel.

"I believe I recognize this young man," said Bryan. "He's Martin Prescott. Ezra's youngest brother."

"Another Prescott in the herd, huh?" Rachel thought.

"So we have two Prescotts, two Blackwells, and two peas in a pod," I said. "I think I remember those guys from the story Alex told me. Not sure why Alex doesn't remember."

Every time I think of the Herd of Whales, it takes me back to going into Nathan's dorm room when Chloe and I searched for Rachel four years ago. There was a sound system in his dorm that made whale noises. Could it have been because he too was a descendant of the herd? No idea why I'm thinking about this just now. Probably because I was seeing a portrait of his ancestor perhaps. But it didn't matter what prompted me.

I draw Martin's pattern in my diary, the three of us return to the table mechanism, and I set the four sigils in order. The scale (Ezekiel) downward, the snake (al-Basra) leftward, the monkey (Martin) downward, and the tiger (Malik) downward. Once the star pattern combination is set in place, the four sigils combine their patterns and boom. All sigil patterns are a complete set and table flips to the other side.

Once the table rotates backward, a compass-like design is shown. With three other tablets shown as well. This time not of sigils, but rather of landmarks set on three sides of the compass like a Flux Capacitor. I laughed.

"Would you look at that," I said.

"Here we go," said Bryan.

"What do we got?" Rachel asked.

"Ah…not sure yet," I said.

"Maybe send it to Alex?"

"Really?"

"Hey, you're the one that said her and Bryan are the herd experts. Just saying."

But before I could reach my phone to snap more pictures for Alex, the lighting in the room suddenly darkens. Candelabrum burning out with a flick one at a time. And before we knew it, the chandelier goes out with a poof. The room is so dark, I cannot see Bryan nor Rachel's faces. This only told the puzzle we solved allowed us to meet an old friend of the Herd of Whales and Order of Saint Loomis. And I trust I knew who.

 **Note: This must go without saying, but I did say before my writing schedule would get slower due to my junior year in art school starting next Wednesday. Plus, I decided to relive the glory days of the Mass Effect franchise with Mass Effect 2 before continuing to write this chapter. I make no more excuses for procrastination. It's not like my stories are homework, but I'd like to make them so. Lol.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**

 **P.S. Today marks the one year anniversary of Before the Storm!**


	20. Meet the Family

Chapter 20 Meet the Family

David

July 21st, 2017

3:38 AM

Canyon County, Idaho

Local Residence

After the enemy helicopter was down for the count and my team and I left the barn, I decided to enter the house on the homestead with the team on my orders to check for survivors. When I bring the team in to form up by the front door, I notice a little plaque on the wall that reads: **MARSH**. I knew that name from somewhere, but this wasn't the time for familiarity.

I stand next to the door on one side with my rifle ready and Logos behind me while Cayce, Kristine, and Flint stand on the other. Ready kick the door open. Cayce kicks the front door and checks the perimeter inside. The perimeter is clear and the rest of us enter. The first room we enter is a living room with a couch and a TV set. I order the team to split and check other areas of the house.

"Foley, Prescott, check the dining room and kitchen," I ordered. "Wheeler, Logos, check upstairs."

As soon as the team splits, I poke around the living room to see family pictures and crucifixes hung on the wall. Whoever lived here was probably another Catholic family and maybe part of the church group in town like the last pair of civilians we found. Not only that, but one of the faces in one of the family pictures looked uncanny. The picture was a portrait of a man, woman, and three girls. One of the girls in the portrait had a face I knew anywhere back in my Blackwell days. My nerves were beginning to tingle.

I overhear Cayce and Kristine shouting "clear" as soon as they've secured their post. Before I could say anything to myself about what I'd seen, Cayce informs me that there's no one to be found on the bottom floor of this house.

"Area secure, Commander," said Cayce. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Corporal," I said. "Stay down here with Kristine. I'm going upstairs."

I knew my gut was telling me another old Blackwell attendee was living here. Maybe I could confirm my feelings on the top floor where Flint and Logos were searching. As soon as I was upstairs, Logos and Flint shout "clear" from the rooms they secured. They come out of the rooms they searched in and rejoin me.

"Perimeter secure, David," said Logos.

"Area secure, Commander," said Flint. "There's no one home."

"How many rooms did you find?" I asked my sergeant and private.

"Four bedrooms and a bathroom," said Logos. "Why?"

"I'm gonna take a look around up here. I might know someone who lives here."

Flint and Logos return to Cayce and Kristine downstairs and I search the bedrooms for clues. I search one bedroom with a king-sized bed and it must be where the man and woman used to sleep. I search two other bedrooms that looked to be made for two out of the three girls living in this house, but nothing I knew of can confirm anything. Until I checked the last bedroom that at last confirmed what I suspected.

The first clue I see is a picture of the three girls from the portrait downstairs. A younger girl with long hair who was smiling, an older girl with glasses holding an ice cream cone, and the oldest of the bunch who lit my eyes with familiarity. The next clue I find is a picture of the familiar girl in a graduation gown and cap. Standing next to Max Caulfield and Warren Graham and smiling with them. That clue the one-hundred percent confirms who lives here is a High School diploma plaque. One that reads:

 **BLACKWELL ACADEMY**

 **ARCADIA BAY – OREGON**

 **This Certifies that**

 **Kate Beverly Marsh**

 **Has satisfactorily completed the Course of Study prescribed for Graduation and is therefore entitled to this**

 **DIPLOMA**

 **May 29** **th** **, 2014**

 **Principal: Raymond Wells**

"Kate?" I thought.

 _"_ _Commander, you coming down here or what?!"_ Cayce shouted from downstairs.

"I'm coming down!" I shout back.

If this war hadn't made the universe small enough already, it wasn't just Kate Marsh who lived here. It was her family as well. Its been four years since I stalked Kate over the Vortex Club and her superstitious innocent that occurred once at that one Vortex party and not once did I ever apologize for it. If she and her family were still alive, I owe her that much to keep it that way. I raced downstairs quickly to inform the team.

I race down the stairs and regroup with Cayce and the others. They all see an urgent look in my eye.

"Something wrong, David?" Kristine asked.

"I know who lives here," I said.

"Who?" Cayce asked.

"A girl named Kate Marsh and her family. They're from Arcadia Bay. I know Kate from Blackwell."

"Oh, for the love of-"

"Not the time, Cayce! We have to find them. They could still be alive if they are."

"Why is it always Blackwell, David?! No offense, but you seem really desperate to be always saving ex-Blackwell shits for someone with an unpopular reputation for that school."

"I didn't request your opinion, Cayce! I'm your commander and we save Kate and family on my orders."

"With respect, David, let's be real. There's no one in this house and whoever was didn't get to finish their food on the table and probably left for the church or something."

"I hate to interrupt your catfight, Commander," said Flint. "But I think I found something."

The four of us turn to Flint and see a little handle he had found on the floor. A handle that looked like it opens something to somewhere beneath us.

"A handle?" Logos thought. "What's that just doing sticking out of the floor for?"

"I don't know," said Flint. "But it could be a door to a basement or something. Made out of these floorboards. It's pretty well hidden."

"Step aside," I said.

I walk over to the handle and grab onto it to pull the basement door open. And like that, the door opens to steps that would take us down the cellar. I make hand gestures for the team to stay silent and move in. I take point down the cellar and as soon as we're almost down the steps, a blast of a bullet goes off. Nearly taking my head off as it missed and put a hole in the wall next to me with a loud bang and then a click. I aim jerk my head in the direction the shot fired and aim my rifle and flash at a man in a preacher outfit and pump rifle.

"Drop it!" The man shouted. "Not another step!"

"Hey, we're not ConDef!" I warned the man with the gun. "We're Chrysalis! We're friendly!"

"Hey, don't shoot!" Kristine intervened. "We're Chrysalis! We're here to help!"

"Richard, put that gun down!" A woman in the dark cellar barked.

The five of us withdraw our weapons an expression of good faith as we gradually walk down the steps. The man named Richard withdrew his weapon in return.

"By the lord," said Richard. "Chrysalis rescue workers in our cellar."

I shine my gun's light over the family hidden in the cellar and who I see is who I predicted. Not only do I see the Marshes all curled over against a corner of the wall, but I see the prodigal daughter herself. Dressed differently than she did at Blackwell and her hair styled more differentiated than before as well. Standing between her two sisters and her mother.

"David?" Kate said in surprise. "Is – is that really you?"

"You know this man, Kate?" Richard asked.

Kate approached me slowly. I approached her slowly. Should I be nervous to see her or ecstatic to be? Either way, our jaws are dropped and Kate unreluctantly hugs me like we were lifelong soul mates. Then she smiles. Proud of an ex-Blackwell cop who once misjudged her whereabouts for coming for her and family. I send back a light smile for her as her head compacts against my chest and our arms caress one another.

"I'll take yes for an answer," said Richard.

"Good to see you too, Kate," I said. "Didn't think I'd be saying this, but it's good to see you too. Alive and well."

"Kate, you know him?" One of Kate's sisters asked.

"Of course, I do," replied Kate. "This is David Madsen from Blackwell. And now he's in a Chrysalis uniform. Once a soldier, always a soldier it seems."

"I've been getting that a lot," I said.

"This is the David from Blackwell?" The woman in the room asked. Who had to be Richard's wife and Kate's mother. "This is a surprise."

"I expect nothing more from a man who harassed my daughter turned Chrysalis trooper," said Richard.

"Dad, please," said Kate. "He's not like that anymore."

"It's nice to meet the family for a change. I caught your name was Richard?" I asked Kate's father.

"I am Richard," he replied. "This my wife Mary. And my two younger daughters Laura and Lynn. And you've met Kate. Forgive my manners, but Kate has told us stories about what happened between you and her at Blackwell. But that's all in the past now. How did a Chrysalis team like yourselves find us anyway?"

"My private found a handle sticking out in the middle of your living room floor and poof here you are," I replied. "Plus, I found things your daughter's room that signified she lived here. Kate's room specifically. And I saw a portrait of the whole family in the living room."

"And here I thought we've seen the last of Blackwell," said Cayce. "At this rate, we'll never see the end of the irony."

"Manners, Cayce," said Kristine.

"Apologies, Kris."

"So where do we go from here?" Richard asked. "You must have an idea how we're getting out of this."

"In fact, Richard," I said. "We do. I'll radio HQ for another pickup. Valor, I think we'll make this our last stop for civilians. We've pretty much secured the entirety of the Canyon residence already. We need to get to that church on the double before ConDef does. That's where we ride with this family to drop them off with the refugees."

"Wait, there are refugees at the church?!" Mary wondered. "And ConDef's coming there too! Why weren't we told this!"

"That's classified, ma'am," I replied. "The ConDef part anyway. HQ has been radioing civilians to go there for mandatory evac, but ConDef has jammed them. You're you'll all be hearing this from us."

"Well, god damn me in hell," said Richard. "We're part of the church group there and I'm their preacher. Those refugees need me! If I'd known about that ages ago, I sure hope I haven't sinned for my neglect."

"Dad's right," said Kate. "I'm his assistant there. I've already sinned for my actions at the Vortex party years ago. I won't let my family afford another sinner."

"I agree," said Mary. "You should take us with you. We belong there."

"Noted," I said.

"By the way, Mr. Madsen," said Richard.

"Please, sir. Call me Commander Madsen. Or David. With respect."

"By the way, Commander Madsen, sorry for almost shooting you a minute ago. I'll be damned if I have sinned for taking an innocent life. And God bless you for saving this family. Lord be praised."

I shook my head and radioed HQ for one last pickup for locals. Richard gathered his wife and three children, including Kate, and takes them all upstairs out of the cellar. Kate had also taken a rabbit in a cage with her too. Didn't know she had a pet to care of and I couldn't guarantee they'd allow pets on the Oregon's sanctuary. Cayce, Logos, and Flint walk out with them. Before Kristine and I go up after them, Kristine herself pauses me for something severe to tell me.

"Permission to speak to you in private, Commander," said Kristine.

"Permission granted, Lieutenant," I said. "Why are we speaking privately."

Kristine gulped. Making sure everyone was out and up the stairs before speaking with an anxious frown. Then she spoke.

"David, there's something I have to tell you," she began. "Something I wanted to tell you long ago with the right opportunity. Something I needed to tell you when the time was right."

"I'm listening," I said.

"Just so I'm clear, no one can know about this. If anyone ever knew about it, there's no telling what they'll do to me."

"Spit it out, Lieutenant. That's an order."

My lieutenant cleared her throat. By the look of her edgy face, I knew I wasn't going to like this. But I have the right to know regardless.

"You are aware of the Herd of Whales according to Chrysalis intel, right?" She asked.

"What about it?" I asked.

"Joanna Prescott, she's my aunt. She was Nathan's aunt too. She's helping Elias Alkaline lead ConDef for their cause. And she's also the leader of the Herd of Whales too. It's been a secret hermetic society to my family for generations. As well as many other powerful families like mine in the generations to come. And worst of all…I'm one of them."

Kristine rolled up the sleeve of her Chrysalis uniform to unveil her shocking secret. A burn mark shaped as a Whale-like creature had been showing on her arm. Making her a member of the Herd of Whales. And a traitor of Chrysalis. My brows were and my jaw was dropped. My face was in disbelief of a herd symbol burnt on her arm. It looked like it had been on her arm for years since the burn appeared to have healed. Kristine shut her eyes and bit her lip in guilt.

"No," I said.

"David, I know what you're going to say," said Kristine.

"This – this is not true."

I shield my face. Feeling betrayed by my med officer.

"David, it's not what you think-"

"You've been keeping secrets from me, Kristine! You've been keeping secrets from the team! You lied to me! You lied to us! You're one of those animals! This makes you a FUCKING traitor!"

I slap Kristine in the face so hard in betrayal. As much as I hate to hit women, she deserves it.

"You LIED to us all!" I thunder. "I – I shoulda known better than to let Cage let you be in our unit! And think I'd think I'd trust another Prescott?!"

"Keep your voice down!" Kristine snapped. Rubbing off the sting on her check from me slap. The traitorous lieutenant sighed. "The thing is, every man and women heir to the herd becomes when they're eighteen. Years ago, I was enlisted as a member on my eighteenth birthday. Years later, Nathan was enlisted too before his death. My parents were members before me too. The society actually ordered the quantum terrorist attacks like Triple 4. And after that, Seattle, San Francisco, Cambridge, everything. With all due respect, Commander, I solemnly swear on the lives of what's left of my family, excluding my aunt, I would never betray Chrysalis! I'm not one of them anymore even with this mark on my arm. My mother and I were stripped from the herd years ago after Triple 4. Please, David, don't tell anyone about this! I'm not like my dad, brother, aunt, or whoever. You know me better than this. Just please, as your Lieutenant, don't tell them."

I sighed and shook my head. Last time I trusted a Prescott, he nearly shot my step-daughter to death and worked with a photographic psycho. The other time I trusted a Prescott, orchestrated a shooting that plotted to kill my stepdaughter's girlfriend and threatened to cut my stepdaughter's throat in her sleep. My first impressions with Kristine thus far hadn't been as bad as Nathan's nor Sean's. It was terrible enough she had turned traitor, do I dare as a commanding officer and Cage's second in command cover for her? Or do I tell my team the truth in front of Kate's family? Without thinking twice, I scratch my head and made a decision I had to live with.

"You listen to me, Kris," I said. "And you listen well. My lips are sealed, but if anything at all occurs to this team because I covered for a woman who had committed a capital crime against Chrysalis, the consequences are on you."

"I'll be prepared to deal with the consequences anytime, David," said Kristine. "You can count on that."

"You two plan on joining us, David?" Cayce asked from upstairs.

I jump for a moment. Jerking my head behind me to see Cayce standing by the basement hatch on top of the steps. I act natural and play it cool.

"Kristine gave permission to have a private conversation," I replied. "I granted her permission."


	21. Clotho

Chapter 21 Clotho

Max

July 21st, 2017

8:44 AM

Rome, Italy

Colosseum

The room is empty, clear, and dark. We are no longer in the room we stood before. Bryan, Rachel, and I stand on a floor with a reflectively wavy substance underneath our shoes as if we were walking on water. There was nothing but empty darkness in our surroundings. We were no longer in the chamber with the mechanism. Whatever the puzzle triggered, it had taken us here. Wherever was here.

Before any of us could ask where we were, something was glowing in front of us. A bright red light blinded us until another strange figure appeared before us out of thin air and from the red light. The figure featured an overweight body with four arms, large breast, a think head and chin, and long snow-white hair. I knew who she was. She was huge and half as tall as the lighthouse in Arcadia Bay. It was Clotho. The third sister of fate and guardian of the Reality Shard.

"So…you've come this far, Arcadian Traveler," said the obese witch-like female named Clotho.

"Clotho," I said with my eyes popping.

Bryan and Rachel are mesmerized by the sight of Clotho as well. Harmless, but unattractive. They both stand next to me silently and allow the traveler to do the talking.

"It would seem that my sister Atropos has guided you here, Max Caulfield."

"I had to find you. Atropos said you'd be here with the Reality Shard."

"This is indeed the domain of the Reality Shard that I've protected for centuries since. You've come to the right place."

"King Arthur and Ezra Prescott claimed this place to be the shard's protector. Why here?"

"The Colosseum was the only place your ascendants made invulnerable to their oppressors. I swore on their allegiance, that I would remain here as guardian of the Reality in the millennia to come."

"What's happening? What is this place?"

"This is the Reality Realm. Where I communicate through your mind and present the many realities unforeseen by any primitive being. And sometimes, realities foreseen by a traveler such as yourself."

"My world is at war with Ares and ConDef. We need the Reality Shard to win it. Can you help us do that?"

"There is no war. There is only the reclamation."

"Then help us stop it."

"None have possessed the strength in past times. Your own species could be destroyed with a single thought. But you are different. My sisters and I have witnessed your actions in your time. The destruction of Arcadia Bay, the fall of Portland, Ares perceives you as a threat. And I understand why."

Clotho held out one of her four arms and made a glowing red shard appear over the palm of her hand. The Reality Shard was floating over her hand. With the shard's power, she made a scene appear in the emptiness around her. A scene of knights on horses gathering around the roundtable where the Knights of Loomis sat and King Arthur sat with them.

"Seventeen centuries ago," began Clotho. Projecting the scene of Arthur and the knights at the table. "My sisters and I were the apex of time and continuum. Keeping the peace and balance of the universe for King Arthur and the Knights of Loomis who were in our thrall and worshipped us. Serving our needs. We grew more powerful and they were cared for. But we could not protect them from themselves. Over time, Ares had rallied their antagonist known as the Saxons that then destroyed them. Tribute does not flow from a dead race."

Clotho stopped projecting the scene with the shard and switched to a new scene. One of a wall with petroglyphs and engravings of the Ark of Genesis carved on. Projected by the Reality Shard.

"To solve this problem," continued Clotho. "We created a machine with the mandate to preserve life and time at any cost. The Ark of Genesis. As its technology evolved, it studied the development of eternity. Its understanding grew until it found a solution. In that instance, it betrayed us. It chose Ares to be the reclaimer of half of all life in the universe. From our essence, a new band of crusaders was called upon sixteen centuries later. You call them the Herd of Whales."

"You built that machine despite what you saw the knights and the herd experience," I said. "Why?"

Before Clotho could answer why, she projected the actual Ark of Genesis behind us. It was a very tall and huge pyramid-shaped machine. Bigger and taller than the Egyptian Pyramid and illuminating an aqua blue light on top.

"You cannot conceive a universe that bends to your will," said Clotho. "Every creature, every nation, every reality we discovered became our tools. We were above the concerns of lesser species. The power was envisioned as simply another tool."

"And now we all pay the price for your mistake," I said.

"There was no mistake. It still serves its purpose."

"How did you remain hidden all this time?"

"Our purpose was not complete. My sisters and other celestials found refuge in the dark corners of the universe after the first two Eternity Wars. I remained here long after Arthur's war and Ezra's. To keep my oath to protect the Reality from any primitives against yourself."

"You said 'every reality'. Have you seen realities of alternate outcomes in the conflicts?"

"It is not for us to make those realities for ourselves or travelers such as you."

Clotho used the shard again to project the things I've seen in an alternate reality I've experienced 'that' fateful Wednesday and Thursday. Projecting my alternate-self hooking up with Victoria, getting together with the Vortex Club, and sitting next to the crippled and paralyzed Chloe lying down in her medical bed.

"You have witnessed the consequences of the alternative timestreams yourself," continued Clotho. "The reality in which the father of your friend Chloe Price had never deceased. And where Chloe alone was debilitated from an atrocious accident. Any in all alternatives could only be seen or shown by other known travelers before you. That is the best I can educate."

"Tell me about Ares," I asked.

"Ares is known to be the god of destruction and war. For all of millennia, he has only have been known to us as the immortal warmonger obsessed with raging war and thriving the reclamation for himself. As well as the goal of exterminating half the population of every species in the universe. Proclaiming and justifying his motivation as a way to bring balance to time and space so only half of every living being can live with more resourcefulness, dignity, and satisfactory. Something he claims to be a mercy upon ourselves. To do that, he would need every six Eternity Shard, the Eon Codex, and the Ark of Genesis to fulfill his mission he has relentlessly pushed forward for centuries. A mission he must never complete."

"What do you know about the Ark of Genesis?"

"There is more to the Ark of Genesis than Ares's cause. The machine was built not only to damage life and time, but also to save it. The Eon Codex and the Eternity Shards are also the keys to do the opposite of what Ares wants. They can be used to end Ares and his army of Fallen he uses as his secondary army. The Fallen you've witnessed during the battle of Portland known to you as Triple 4. An undead army Ares will rise as his preliminaries should his primary army known as ConDef fail. Then your war will be won and you alone can wield the Mantle of Possibility. Only a traveler can claim absolutely."

"Okay, you've made your point. Will you help stop Ares by giving us the Reality Shard?"

"I have searched your capabilities. They exceed my expectations. And my sisters'. The Reality Shard shall be yours."

Clotho lends over the Reality Shard to me as it hovers over to my fingers. I reach for it take it in my grasp as it levitates in the air. The red glowing jewel holding the mystic entity itself lights my hand in redness like a nightlight made of blood. What we all came here for is now in the good hands of mine.

"Take the Reality Shard with imperative care," said Clotho. "Keep it away from the wrong hands at any cost. If you fail, Ares will be another step closer to success. Find the other shards and use them to defeat Ares with the Ark of Genesis."

"There are only two other shards Ares doesn't have," I said. "How do I find them?"

"You must go to the Mediterranean Islands where the Time Shard will be hidden. And where Chronos protects it as well. He will guide you to your next step. The Space Shard will be hidden in Beirut of Lebanon. Where Hades protects it from your adversaries. Then you'll be one step closer to your last task on the island of Meridian Prime. Where the Ark of Genesis shall be yours. We will be counting on you, Max Caulfield. The fate of the universe rest upon your brave shoulders."

* * *

I wake up to a brighter room. Back in the founders' chamber where the table is still turned over with three tablets flipped. I see Uncle Bryan and Rachel waking up off the floor from the Reality Realm as well. Clotho said that we need to find the Time Shard in the Mediterranean Islands and the Space Shard in Beirut. Easy for us to find one in the islands. Harder for us to find another in Beirut where part of the war is taking place crawling with ConDef and resistance fighters.

I fell something in the palm of my hands and its Reality Shard the I'm holding. I put in a safe place inside my pockets and so it doesn't go anywhere else. I still needed to take those photos for Alex. The tablets appeared to be showing something of importance and we were going to need it. Rachel and Bryan brush themselves off and stand up on their two legs as I do when taking the pictures with my phone.

"I don't know what the fuck we just went through," said Rachel. "But that Clotho sister was ugly as fuck."

"At least now the Reality Shard is in our hands," said Bryan.

I snap three photos around the table of the three that were flipped over. Showing three landmarks that could be the islands Clotho mentioned. As soon as they're taken, I send them to Alex.

"Alright," I said. "Let's see what Alex makes of these."

Bryan stepped in front of the table to analyze one of the landmark tablets for himself. Then he actually understood something about them.

"You know," he said. "That kinda looks-"

"Hold on," I said.

I rip out some sheets of paper from my journal, take a pencil, place the paper on the tablets, and use the pencil to scribble on the paper to mark the landmarks with it. A pencil rubbing can be a good backup tool if I no longer had my phone.

"What are you doing?" Bryan asked. "You just took pictures."

"Hold that," I asked him.

I go back around the table to rub more graphite on the paper for the other landmarks while Bryan holds the first one for me.

"You know," I said rubbing the paper. "Ezra's recruits wouldn't've had smartphones obviously."

"Obviously," said Rachel.

"So this would've been the only way to get to the next clue."

Bryan chuckled.

"These are clues?" He asked.

"Yeah, lemme see," I asked.

After finishing all the rubbing, I take them all, including the one Bryan held, and place all three of them in front of a burning candle. Projecting light through them to see something hidden in the rubbing. Ezra's sigil with a motto written in Latin. My uncle chuckled again.

"Huh," said Rachel.

"Alright," said Bryan. "These could be trade winds…yeah, and these look like latitudes…and I would guess that we are packing our bags again, miss. What?"

"Sit autem omnis grex dirigendos pedes nostros," I read. "No, no – it can't be."

"Can't be what?" Rachel asked.

"Oh, my dog. It's so obvious."

"Max?" Bryan thought.

"Why didn't I see this before?"

"Jesus," said Rachel. "Enough with the 'beautiful mind' shit. What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Just, just, hang on."

I pick up my phone to call Alex for one moment to talk about my discovery.

"Alex, did you get the photos?" I asked on the phone.

Unfortunately, it's not Alex's voice I hear. It's the laugh of a female voice on the call. And I know who's laugh it was on Alex's number I dialed.

 _"_ _Here I am,"_ said Joanna. _"Calling what I thought was Bryan's phone and look who picks up. How you been, Max?"_

My face turns pale and my stomach stings. I turn around to Bryan and Rachel. Shocked to hear Joanna Prescott on the phone. Either she has Alex and Frank and took Alex's phone to call me or she has my number.

"Hey, Joan," I said. "Missed you in Greece. How'd you get this number? Bryan leave it on a cocktail napkin?"

 _"_ _I wish,"_ laughed Joanna. _"That would've cost me a few shots of rum, right? No, no. I had to pay top dollar to find you guys and gals."_

"Yeah, well, I hope you didn't spend too much on your ancestor's whole thing. I hear the competition is fierce."

 _"_ _Yeah, you pulled off some clever moves there. But in the end, all that matters is who gets to the Ark of Genesis first."_

I chuckled.

"That sounds like a bet," I said.

 _"_ _Hey, Max,_ " said Joanna. _"You know I'm always game, but my partner…well, he prefers to…mitigate unnecessary risks. As for Ares…you really don't to mess with him. No siree."_

"Wowser, Joanna Prescott, taking orders from somebody else. Oh, how times have changed."

 _"_ _Look, Max, I'm gonna make a one-time offer here. You drop everything, go home, live your life, and I'm willing to forgive and forget. For old time's sake."_

"As tempting as that sounds, Joan, I gotta say I'm – not normally the kind of gal who likes to quit while she's ahead."

 _"_ _Okay. 'Sit autem omnis grex dirigendos pedes nostros.' May the herd guide us all. These are nice pictures, Max. Good composition."_

"You hacked our phones?"

 _"_ _You stole my codex! Listen, Max, if you're half as smart as you think you are, you'll accept my offer. What's it gonna be?"_

"Listen, as nice as it's been to catch up with you, I – really got to take this call. So…"

 _"_ _Well, Max, one more thing. Max!"_

"What?"

 _"_ _You, uh…you do realize that your phones are equipped with GPS, right?"_

Now my face is paler. Joanna is using Google Maps or something to track us down.

 _"_ _I'll see you soon, missy,"_ said Joanna lastly before hanging up.

I hang up immediately and race for the exit with Bryan and Rachel.

"Shit," I panicked.

"Let me guess," said Bryan. "Goons with guns on their way here now?"

I call Alex for real this time and to warn her and Frank.

"Alex!" I snapped on the phone.

 _"_ _May the herd guide us all,"_ said Alex on the phone. _"Max, do you understand what this means?"_

"Alex, listen to me! Get off the streets right now! And turn off your phones or destroyed them or whatever!"

 _"_ _What's going on?!"_

"Joanna knows where you are! Alright, you gotta find someplace to hide!"

Before Alex could reply, I hear a screeching noise of tires coming to a halt. Then gunfire. And then two last words before Alex broke up."

 _"_ _Oh, shit! Fr-"_

"Alex?! Alex! Dammit!"

 **X/SQUARE/LM – DESTROY PHONE**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM – TURN OFF PHONE**

My phone had those pictures in it and I just got this phone a month ago. I decide to turn it off and make sure everyone else's phones were off too. And that the Reality Shard was kept in a tightly safe place in my pants pocket.

"Turn off your phone!" I warned. "We gotta get to, Alex! Now!"


	22. Loyalty

Chapter 22 Loyalty

Max

July 21st, 2017

8:49 AM

Rome, Italy

Colosseum

Our cell phones were off and the three of us race out of the tower and back outside into the area through the fighting maze. The exit out of here was just across the arena and right on the tick before the tours began. If anyone's to discover the wreckage done inside the tower, ConDef can take the blame. We needed to get to Alex and Frank fast. If Alkaline's men have already discovered them, they're in for some deep shit already. I really hate to put Frank's life on the line with Alex against Rachel's will.

"Back there in the chamber," said Rachel. "Clotho said Chronos has the Time Shard. If you remember the last time we had a run-in with him, you know he can't be trusted."

"And it's going to be difficult for us to find the Space shard in Beirut in the middle of the warzones happening," said Bryan.

"If we're lucky," I said. "We can get help from Chrysalis to get us that Space Shard. But first things first. The Time Shard. Chronos is chance we're gonna have to risk. Come on, Alex and Frank are waiting. Let's hustle!"

"This petty crusade just doesn't get any saner," said Rachel.

After walking out through the main exit of the Colosseum and past the crowd in line for the tours, I spot the Ludus Magnus from afar and show my uncle and Rachel. It has to be where Frank and Alex last were and where ConDef had to have found them. I guide my companions over to where my cousin and Rachel's boyfriend's last known location is as I scope and point it out.

"Bryan, I think that's the Ludus Magnus," I said.

We could see a small explosion from a distance coming from the old battlegrounds. Meaning one of two things. Either ConDef is winning or Alex and Frank are. No one else seemed to have paid attention to the action. It was too far for anyone to take notice anyhow.

"Oh, that's definitely the Ludus Magnus," said Bryan. "Come on, this way."

The three of us run back into the markets and excuse the crowd up front. This was no time for crowds and hope ConDef hasn't killed Alex and Frank. Much less discovered where we are yet.

"How long do you think before Joanna gets here?" I asked my uncle.

Bryan chuckled.

"Let's not stick around to find out," he said.

"I'm with him on that," said Rachel.

Suddenly, something was shot in me in the middle of the crowd. The sting of something sharp pinch my skin like a syringe. I pull out whatever was stuck in my neck which was a feathered dart projectile. Matching the one Fernando was shot with. My heart begins to race. I've been dosed with a hallucinogenic drug.

"No," I said.

Already, I can feel something was not right with me. Rachel and Bryan stop walking and turn around to see what was wrong.

"Max?" Bryan wondered.

"Run," I said. "Run…"

Whatever the drug was doing to me, it was worse than the last couple of times I was drugged before. I can feel skin sweating and mind aching.

"Oh, shit," said Rachel.

Rachel noticed immediately what was wrong. The first sign of a hallucinating state as seen from Fernando.

"Alright," said Rachel. "Easy, Max."

"Stay away," I said backing away. "Stay away!"

I drop the dart on the ground and it confirmed what Rachel already knew. So that Bryan could know too as she picked it up from the ground where I dropped it to show him.

"What's wrong with her?" Bryan asked.

"They drugged her," answered Rachel.

"What?"

"Come on. We gotta get her out of here. C'mon, Max-"

"Don't touch me!" I snap. Shoving Rachel away. Whatever that was, the drug made me sensitive to being touched. Just like Fernando reacted to being less than tangible. I fumble to my knees and get back up. Losing my grip from being touched.

"We just – we just want to help," said Bryan.

"Get AWAY!" I barked. Fumbling again. "Get away from me!"

I am not myself. I feel like a feral dog needed to be put down. My head is shaking. My heart is pouncing. And my skin is heating. I run away from Rachel and Bryan and escape into the crowds in the markets.

"Max!" Rachel called.

"Max!" Bryan called.

As I'm running across the crowds, far away from my friend and uncle, I see a mist around the people in the markets. The walls between me and the ground below me moving around staring at crazy mirrors at an amusement park. I can see my arms and legs stretching too like those halls of mirrors Chloe and I used to walk through at the annual fair they had in Arcadia Bay. Except this was nothing like that.

"Get away from me," I mumble.

The stretchy visuals watching people, walls, and floors extend like rubber bands made things Ludacris for me to be running around in my hallucination. It didn't help but the hallucinating fog to make it harder for me to see where I was running. Now I know how fucked up it felt to be when Fernando was this way.

 _"_ _Easy now,"_ a voice echoed.

The nightmare I had during the storm was less of a rodeo than this. My visions of Chronos was less convoluted to walk through. I can no longer take. A single shot of this drug even after pulling it out immediately dosed me severely. Direct exposure to this drug was certainly like walking through a purgatory of crazy mirrors or watching a cheesy Goosebumps episode. I kept running and running like Forest Gump in the middle of an Italian market in Rome in my dosage of hallucination.

"Oh, god," I panted.

 _"_ _Stay calm,"_ the voice echoed again.

I almost recognize this voice. Familiar put high pitched in my ears.

 _"_ _Come with me."_

I knew this voice. It belonged to Alkaline. Did he dose me?

"Don't – don't touch me!" I cried.

 _"_ _Max, Joanna's waiting."_

"No, no, no, no!"

 _"_ _It will all be over soon."_

"No…no…"

 _"_ _Relax. Trust me."_

How can I hear Alkaline's voice when he wasn't next to me? Was this real? Or am I seeing things and he's actually walking me over to Joanna in reality.

"I'm sorry."

 _"_ _Shhh."_

"Bryan? Rachel?"

 _"_ _Bryan's not here, Max. Neither is Rachel. You're on your own now."_

"Bryan knows."

 _"_ _Trust us. Follow me."_

I don't know what's real anymore. This was a complete conundrum of a hallucinating crowd and Alkaline's voice in my ears. I wanted this out of my head. Now!

"No, I won't go."

 _"_ _Don't resist."_

"Where is this?"

 _"_ _You're with us. Just listen to me. You know what we want."_

"Don't…don't let them…don't let them…"

 _"_ _I won't let them hurt you."_

"Dammit. Please…"

 _"_ _Where is it?"_

"I don't know."

 _"_ _Give them to us."_

"I don't know. I don't know."

 _"_ _Good."_

"Dammit, I don't know! I don't know! Please! I don't KNOW!"

* * *

I had passed out during my hallucination. I was now waking up from dizziness. Sitting down at a table outdoors in the middle of an Italian café in Rome. My head felt like shit. My eyelids peeled open to my lap. I lift my head up. Feeling numb from my drugged state. As soon as my eyes were forward, staring in the face of the villainous Joanna Prescott herself. Holding the Eon Codex in her hands smiling.

"Welcome back," she said.

I jolted back in my seat. Startled by Joanna's presence. Sitting down with her in the middle of our adoring public. I turn my head right and see Alkaline sitting down at his table smiling. Holding the Reality Shard incased in glassware. I turn my head left and see two men in casual clothing sitting at their table next to Joanna and I's. Alkaline's lieutenants. Rachel and Bryan were gone, I was trapped here with Joanna and Alkaline, and now they had their hands on the codex and shard. This was turning out to be a really messed up day.

"I don't recommend making a scene," said Joanna. "You're not exactly here legally, remember?"

Joanna read Arthur's motto on the codex.

"No sacrifice, no victory," she read. "Beneath that innocent exterior, you're still the same scared, filthy little runaway. Aren't you?"

"Skip the mind games," I said. "You don't know me."

"In fact, I suspect I know you better than anyone, Ms. Caulfield. You've come a long way since Seattle. You've come a long way since Arcadia Bay. Have you now? But we won't dwell on that."

Joanna took her reading glasses and wore them to read a file on me she had on the table.

"Excepted into Blackwell Academy," she read. "Graduated class of 2014. Criminal record of attempted thievery, shooting of armed men serving Chrysalis, and the manslaughter of over 600 citizens of Arcadia Bay. Charges dropped from the evidence of scandal set by Sean Prescott. Records defunct."

Joanna laughed sinisterly. I stared down at the table seeing all the other files she had on me. A mugshot of me from Seattle after the Burke Heist and the other from Quantum Prospekt. Also, mugshots of Chloe Price from Arcadia Bay. And a picture of her walking down the streets of Rome. Which couldn't be possible. My eyes were lit with awe. What was she doing here? Has she found out what I've been on about?

"Oh," said Joanna. "Don't worry. She's of no interest to us. Unless, of course, we need to apply a little pressure."

"You leave her out of this!" I hissed.

"And we will. As long as you do what we want."

"What do you want from me?"

Joanna removed her glasses.

"Well," she begins. "As much as it kills me to admit it, I need your help. To find your friends Rachel Amber and Frank Bowers. As well as your uncle Bryan and your cousin Alex Caulfield."

"Right," I scoffed.

"We already know they have the coordinates to find the Mediterranean Islands."

"How do you know that?"

"You told us, Max. The drugs have an effect on memory. It seems your loyalty isn't as firm as you like to think it is. What about hers?"

"What? Wait, what are you trying to pull?"

"Nothing. It's just that – well, we've had you in our clutches for quite some time now. All those years after you cousin's false death. The dark room, the shooting, Triple 4, and not once did she mount a return. She didn't return to give you the adventure of a lifetime she dreamed to have with you, either. She just something she could exploit."

"I know what you're trying to do."

"Trust me. Alex is only ever in it for Alex. It's a cold hard fact. I discovered it five years ago. I'm surprised it's taken you this long to figure it out."

"Your wasting your time, Joan. You're sicker than your brother, nephew, Jefferson, and Crosby combined."

"Fair enough. My brother and nephew had their moments and had their differences. Ones neither of them could council peacefully. Mr. Jefferson and Crosby were both hypocritical imbeciles. Fools who thought their egos could solve their problems. But ask yourself, when Alex scooped you to steal that codex from that museum five years ago, did she give you the dream of a lifetime? Or did she just doom you to the life you're in now? Better yet, did you ask yourself the same question when you let a storm save the love of your life Chloe Price?"

This woman gives me the same look Jefferson and Crosby had given me when playing the good guy. And also, the look Jefferson gave me when strapped to a chair in the dark room and the look Crosby gave me when captured at the mill outpost. Years of learning the definition of a sheep in wolf's clothing and I knew she was trying to pull. Hard enough she questions Alex's loyalty and now she speaks of Chloe. Spitting in the face of my two closest affairs as every who's ever antagonized me has. This is the answer I give to Joan Prescott.

"You wanna know the answers to those questions?" I begin. "Here you go. I unleashed a storm your family created and sacrificed hundreds for Chloe. I slaughtered dozens in my school in defense of your brother's mutiny. And I laid down my life to save trillions more to be the heroine of Triple 4. Three things I've learned since. One, committing a tragedy to end another tragedy infuses conflicts than it does resolve them. Two, no matter what, you keep fighting to do what's right for the ones you love. Three, no matter how hard or how long the things we love the most keep drawing breath, there is always a cost to prolong it. My final answer, the same answer I gave to the two sack of shits you hired to kill me. Eat shit and die!"

Before Joanna could have a response, whether she'd be amused or threatened, she had to respond to Alkaline who walked over and whispered in her ear to inform her something that saved her the trouble of leveraging me against my companions and family. Which wasn't good, to put it mildly.

"Ah, excellent," said Joanna. "First off, I'm not so sure if your answer humors me or threatens me, but it matters less. Second off, what matters more is that we've located your friends, Uncle, and cousin on the other side of the city."

I look at Alkaline in the eye who gave me menacing smile before returning to his table. I turn back to Joanna for her final word.

"I'm sorry, Max," she apologized. "It seems you've been removed from the equation."

Alkaline lieutenants walk behind me and corner me. Touching my shoulders to keep me in captivity. It was would seem the men on Joanna and Alkaline's payroll have been hired to do away with me. Unless I can get out of this and take that shard from Alkaline or remain seated and accept my fate.

 **X/SQUARE/LM – STAY SEATED**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM – GO AFTER ALKALINE**

I shrug casually. That instantaneously throw the table down to the side. Taking the lieutenants off my skin and causing Joanna to startle off the table and drop the codex. I pick up the codex from where Joanna dropped and run as quick as I could after Alkaline. He sees me running after him and he starts running from me. Then a bunch of armed ConDef troopers emerges into the scene to start chasing after me and shoot. I needed the Reality Shard back from Alkaline and I was going to do it the hard.

I chase down Alkaline across an alley as more of his soldiers arrive to intervene. When in pursuit, Alkaline tumbles over a stack of cages with chickens inside to slow me down. I mantle over the cages to keep on him. I chase him back into the markets and down another café. He runs inside the restaurant and he slams a door in my face. Causing to fumble on someone's table while eating. I catch my grip and run inside after him.

I chase up the top floor, through a kitchen, and back outside where he climbs over a ladder and kicks it down to keep me from getting to his platform. I then had to chase after him on my platform until I found a way to climb up to his. When I do, Alkaline and I were now running and jumping off rooftops like Jackie Chan. When Alkaline found his way to climb down the rooftops, I try sliding down a pipe on the wall until it breaks and bends and I fall off landing on the roof of a car on my back. Alkaline was still on the run back on the lower ground I wasn't going to give him the slip with a back injury and the Reality Shard in his fingers. I shook off the pain when my feet start running on the street floors again and more ConDef troops arrive to stop me.

Alkaline runs back into the markets where I chase after him. Pushing through people to get at him while Alkaline's thugs shove everyone out of the way step out of the line of fire. I shake off the armed extremist as Alkaline runs across a street and car nearly bumps him over. The ConDef general himself mantles over the hood of the car as I watch him run inside a hotel. When running across the street, a van almost runs me over and I roll past it as it bumps into me. Then I run inside the hotel after Alkaline. I climb over the reception desk and onto a railing in pursuit of him. He had already reached the upper floors and climbing the railings would be the quickest way to him. Once I'm on the higher ground, I run up the stairs and I'm right behind Alkaline as he runs past me on the same floor. I've got him now.

I snare Alkaline by his waist and tackle him through a railing fence as he plummets onto a stack of boxes and I hang onto the crashed railing. Then I drop down and run back after Alkaline brushing off his obstruction. He now climbed up a wall to reach the high ground as more of his men came running in my path. Defuncting my way to chase him on the low ground. I make the obvious choice to climb the wall avoiding the soldiers and chasing Alkaline like Tom and Jerry on higher ground.

Playing cat and mouse with Alkaline was getting exhausting. The man himself had run faster than Chloe my heart was pumping calories from an exercise like this. Alkaline just a gate in front of me to keep me off pursuit. I took the scenic route swinging on a pipe and through a window into a men's bathroom. I may not have been the most athletic person on the planet to do this like Rachel is, but there wasn't much choice. I run out of the bathroom and catch Alkaline with my own eyes.

"Dammit!" Alkaline snarled.

"Surprise, asshole!" I gloated.

I chase the man across the hallway of the building and up another staircase. Alkaline shut a door behind me and let it hit me in the face. Causing me to fumble through another door where Alkaline reappeared again out of nowhere. His methods of obstruction were sloppy.

"Shit!" He growled.

Alkaline jumped off another railing to get across a chasm to another building. Hanging onto yet another railing as he almost made it. I too jumped across the chasm over the railing crashing through the window like Jason Bourne in the Bourne Ultimatum. I fall on the floor in the building feeling the pains of glass impact my skin. I hate crashing through glass like in the movies. Alkaline makes it off the railing and runs across the hall. That's when I get back up and continue the pursuit.

The two us run up a flight of stairs. Running up three floors until Alkaline finds an exit to flee through. When I take the exit he does, Alkaline is nowhere to be seen. No one but the public locals minding their own businesses in the streets of Rome. Not even ConDef soldiers to stop me. I've officially lost sight of Elias Alkaline.

"Where the hell did he go?" I said to myself.

Looking everywhere I can to find the war criminal himself, I run into a place in the markets where its crowded as a herd of sheep. Just what I need.

"Ah, great," I said.

I find Alkaline, I find the shard. I excuse as many people as I can to find the man. All chatting and speaking Italian as I do. Then I catch Alkaline in my sights between some people and go after him until a man impolitely shoves me to the side. Didn't even say excuse or sorry in neither English nor Italian. Then Alkaline vanished again. I'd be lucky if he found me first. I pardon and excuse everyone else around me until I find an opening to a railing where I see Alkaline walking casually but alertly on the other side.

"There he is," I said. "Think you've lost me, didn't ya?"

After walking out of the crowd, I was, unfortunately, going to have to jump across more chasms and rooftops. While jumping across a few, I fell through some would planks and hit the solid ground to where Alkaline discovers me again. He flees has he does and I continue the hot pursuit.

"Come on, Alkaline!" I shouted. "This is getting old!"

Chasing Alkaline on the rooftops, ConDef soldiers had spawned and now began to start open firing on their general's pursuer. I dodged the bullets and shielded the bullets with my time shield to avoid the led poisoning. And finally, ending the pursuit, Alkaline ziplined across on a wire with a clothes hanger down to a fountain patio rock bottom. I too ziplined on the wire with the hanger and dropped in. This is when my showdown with Alkaline begins.

The fight begins with Alkaline swing a stick of plywood over to me like a baseball bat and I instantly dodge his swing, catch his stick of wood tugging it from him, and swung the wood at him myself. Hitting him across the face snapping the wood in half. Leaving him with a graze on his forehead. The fight continues with me throwing my fist at him and then Alkaline jolting backward to dodge it. Then my opponent sweeps me by the leg, attempts to stomp me in the chest, and I roll away. Hitting his groin with my elbow and striking him with my fist across the nose. I stand on my feet to continue fighting.

I hit Alkaline across the face with every strike I had at him until he counters me by seizing me by the arm, twisting it behind my back, and shove me over to the fountain dunking my head in the water to drown the life out of me. I close my mouth and hold my breath for as long as I could. Struggling against Alkaline's grasp for dear life until I eventually take my head out of the water and hit my opponent in the rib with my elbow. Pushing him away as I catch my breath for air. Alkaline attempts to make a powerful strike with his fist until I dodge away, seize him by the hair, and slam his head on the rim of the fountain. Knocking him down on the floor but not out on the floor.

I make a fighting pose with my fist asking him if he wanted some more. Then he smiles and chuckles. Staring at someone getting the jump on me. I turn around to see one of Alkaline's lieutenants swing his own stick of wood at me. This time actually hitting me across the face as it broke in half and rendered me KO on the floor and down for the count. The fight was over.


	23. Dirty Little Secret

Chapter 23 Dirty Little Secret

David

July 21st, 2017

3:57 AM

Canyon Springs, Idaho

Canyon Springs Christian Church

After my team and I left with Kate and family, we had arrived at the church on an APC truck where we rode with the Marsh family. When we all got off the truck, there were already dozens of Chrysalis troops gathered at the church with civilians inside standing by for evacuation. As soon as my team and I separate from the family, we see Cage and the other half of the team gathered with soldiers surrounding a body of a deceased Chrysalis trooper mounted on a stretcher. Everyone seemed to be in mourning about it.

When I stepped into the crowd next to Cage, I could see two men mounting the body and lifting it on both sides of the stretcher to carry the body and take it away. I could see a woman crying in the distance next to another soldier comforting her. Must be related to the dead man in uniform perhaps.

"He was running recon," said Cage. "Alone."

"Who's that woman over there?" Cayce asked. "The one crying?"

"A wife," said Mason. "The man you saw being carried out just became a father no less than a month ago. He was a good veteran to her."

"Listen up!" Cage called out. "In Chrysalis, our job is to defend the innocent from quantum terrorism and the only way we're gonna do that is by sticking together."

"Nobody's expendable," I said.

"Exactly. Now each and every one of you may be ready to die for our cause, but it is my job to make sure we all get through this alive. No one gets left behind. Not on my watch. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone replied.

"Heard, give us the update," asked Cage.

"Yes, sir," she complied. Heard pulled out her projector and projected a map screen on the ground of ConDef's offensive on the church. "ConDef is using guerrilla tactics to cut off our evac. RPGs, snipers, strikers, you name 'em. And soon they'll be infantry advancing on the church with ground vehicles as well. We won't have the combat capacity to fend off either. So we'll need our little AC-130 up in the air to clean up the town when ready."

"Alright, you know the drill. We split into the three teams. Move out!"

"You got it!" A soldier said.

"Yes, sir!" Another soldier said.

Everyone disbanded and marched to their post. Including Mason, Heard, and Newblood. Except for Cage, my team, and I to have a few words.

"I don't like this Captain," said Flint. "These poor people are defenseless and we don't have the numbers to protect them."

"I know your nervous, Greenhorn," said Cage. "But the team's got everyone's back. Capecchi?"

"Yes, sir. I'll give this everything I've got."

Cage smiled and gave the private a pat on the back and left. When Kristine, Logos, and I are out of the way, Flint looked at Cayce asked him a rhetorical question.

"Is he always this awesome?" Flint asked.

There was no answer from Cayce. He only shook his head and walked off with us while Flint kept up behind him.

Outside the church, there were defenses set up in front. Turrets mounted, sandbags stacked, barbwire built around, and friendly infantry standing guard. I was still worried about Kristine and her secret I was keeping from everyone for her. Knowing we'd all be court-martialed for secrecy, I had to trust my gut and do this for the only Prescott I ever called a friend in my life. For better or for worse.

Inside the church, there were people taking refuge sitting down with families in the sanctuary and soldiers at guard. I tell Kristine and Cayce to find something that could help us find that secret script hidden in the church somewhere. I tell Logos and Flint to group up with Cage and the other half of Valor Team to help with the refugees. When walking around the chapel for clues to get to the script, I run into people my team and I helped along the way. Such as the old man Kristine helped when he was shot by the ConDef squad.

"It's you," said the old man as I approached him in his seat in the sanctuary. "I know you. You were with that team who found me at my home. That young lady of yours is a life saver. I never correctly thanked you for getting me here safely."

"Its how my team works, sir," I said. "I don't believe we've properly introduced ourselves when we first met. Commander Madsen. Fireteam Valor. You can call me David. The woman who helped you was Lieutenant Prescott. You can call her Kristine."

"Name's Aris. And tell Kristine she's the reason I can now rest easy and pray to the lord for my security. I love coming to this church every Sunday. Its peaceful and it gives me hope to see my late wife someday."

"It's my pleasure, Aris. I've got a wife and step-child I'm fighting for back home that I hope to see again. I hope you find peace here."

"As you were, David."

Sooner or later, I may no longer be addressing Kristine as Lieutenant if her secret was ever exposed. As long as my lips were sealed tight enough, that should keep me and the team out of trouble long enough. I spot Ben and Ida in the church somewhere and approach them to talk to them. Glad the team we sent could get them here too.

"I can't thank you enough for getting us here safely," said Ida. "I don't know how we could've done it without you."

"We wouldn't have," said Ben. "Next thing I know if it weren't for you, ConDef would've discovered us and killed us like wild animals."

"I'm glad the rescue team could get you here," I said. "I did tell you two you'd be safe here and I proved myself right."

"And you've proved myself wrong. Guess this rumor wasn't so much of a rumor after all. And we've got Father Richard with us now. I don't you've correctly introduced yourself back in our basement."

"Commander Madsen. Fireteam Valor. But you can call me David if you please."

"God bless you, David," said Ida. "And thank you for getting Father Richard and his family here too. His daughter Kate is a sweet girl here at the church. His other daughters too. And his wife Mary I talk to a lot too."

"I've got a history with Kate," I said. "I've only just met the family. I hope Chrysalis takes good care of you two."

"Certainly, David," said Ben.

I spot Kate Marsh and her sisters sitting down between one another by the podium in front of the chapel's sanctuary. I bet an old Blackwell attendee could sure use some comfort from a man who used to stalk her and take photos of her around campus. In fact, this is my greatest opportunity to sincerely apologize for the way I acted around her. I take a breath and approach the three Marsh sisters to talk.

"I never thanked you, David," said Kate. "For saving our lives back in the basement. We were stuck down there for hours with almost no sleep, my dad almost shoots you, and now our prayers are answered."

"Isn't this the guy who stalked you at Blackwell?" The sister named Lynn blunted.

"Lynn, you're talking to a Chrysalis soldier," the sister named Laura reminded her younger sister. "Show some respect!"

"Sorry," apologized Lynn.

"In fact, Kate," I said. "After all these years, I never even publicly apologized for how I acted out on you during my duties on campus. Consider this my sincerest apologies."

"David, I don't blame you for how you acted in front of me years ago," admitted Kate. "But I once told Max I believed in forgiveness and redemption. I could say the same for you."

"I had my suspicions for you getting into dirty Vortex Club activities and I was wrong to. Every day feels like yesterday since I ran inside the dorms past that crowd watching you about to drop fifty feet on top until I saw Max with you. All because of me."

"Shut up. None of what I did that day is on you. It's on Nathan who drugged me and Jefferson who kidnapped me. In a Chrysalis uniform, you're my everyday hero now."

"I'm a poor judge of character is who I am. But I'm also a good commander in the corps too. So, what's your story in all this misery? And what brings a kid like you all the way from Arcadia to Canyon?"

"My family and I moved here three years ago for our pilgrimage after I graduated. We decided we belonged to the Canyon Church Community and we took it. As for how we got into this mess, it wasn't pretty. I honestly got that same feeling I had when Chrysalis raided Blackwell. We were eating super until we found our neighbors being rounded up outside by those ConDef animals. Dad hid us all in the basement until help came. Our parents woke us up when they heard gunfire outside the house. They knew someone was shooting at someone. And it didn't sound like executions. It sounded like fighting. Then we heard the noise of a helicopter crashing and exploding. Got to assume it was you and your team. What's your story now? And how did you get into Chrysalis?"

"After Arcadia Bay was under martial law and volunteering during Triple 4, it made me interesting in joining the Chrysalis Marines. Though I swore to myself I'd never return to the army, I made agreements with Joyce and Chloe for a more ambitious career than Blackwell Security or the ABPD. And so here I am. Boots on the ground again. As I've always said, once a soldier, always a soldier."

"Isn't that an understatement?"

"I knew you and your family were living in that house from the second I found your room, Kate. You all deserve a better world than this. I'm gonna have a few words with your mother and father now. Take care."

"You too, David. God bless you."

Kate and her family deserved to be as far away from a war zone as the eye could see. I'll be fucked if I have to watch more families die of suffering. Just like Seattle. I approach Richard and Mary posted by the podium with their children to speak.

"Thank God in heaven you brought me and my family here when you could," said Richard. "These people have suffered more than they could."

"And we're glad Chrysalis made the refuge for everyone before we could," said Mary. "I think people feel safer now with their pastor here to run the show. Something you need?"

"My team and I are looking for a hidden script we were told could be here," said David. "ConDef is after it too and we're not leaving here without it. Would you happen to know any secrets hidden here?"

"Secrets?" Richard thought. "There are no secrets here in this church. Not kept from us, no. But I think I heard a rumor about this place of a hidden altar that one's been in for ages. That's the best knowledge I have to offer."

"We'll be observant. Keep these people safe here, Richard. Have them start praying if you have to."

"Lord be with you, Commander Madsen."

 _"_ _David, you still with us?"_ Cayce asked on his radio. _"I think we found something in this church."_

"What is it?" I responded. "What you find?"

 _"_ _Kristine, Cage, and I found some kind of hidden door in the office of this church. It could take us to what we need. The rear of the sanctuary. You can't miss it."_

"On my way."

I marched to the little office in the rear of the sanctuary and found Cayce, Kristine, and Cage standing next to what appeared to be a hidden entrance next to the desk. Covered by some plywood and went underground. I stepped between to look for myself.

"What do we got?" I asked.

"What we got is a little door hidden in here that must be hiding our objective," said Cage. "But there's a keyhole locking it. Any ideas?"

"Richard said there was a hidden altar here. Maybe that door takes us to it."

"Well," said Cayce. "We're not getting inside until we find the key. Unless someone's wanting to bust the lock open, we can't get in."

"I can try using my lockpicks if it helps," said Kristine. "Allow me."

Unfortunately, Kristine's lockpicking skills weren't as exemplary as she figured and we didn't have time to wait for Ms. MacGyver. The key was either hidden in here or with the owner. Having no time to find out, Cayce pulled out his pistol, shoved Kristine aside, and shot the lock open. Then Cayce lifted the secret hatch open revealing the secret passage to the possible hidden altar Richard spoke of that was a rumor here. Here's hoping the rumors are true.

"Who wants to go first?" Cayce asked.

My lieutenant, captain, and I frowned at him. Giving him the stink eye for the kind of question he asked. Making him go first.

"Fair enough," said Cayce.

As Cayce and Kristine went before me, Cage decided to stay behind and leave it to us.

"I'll go babysit the locals with the others," said Cage. "You princesses enjoy yourselves down that rabbit hole and find that script. Where that altar has to be too. That's an order."

"Yes, sir," I complied.

While Cage left to join the rest of Valor Team, I shut the hatch behind us and we turn on our flashlights in the dark underground passage. As soon as we do, Cayce reaches for his gun and aims it at Kristine. Jumping the two of us and halting in our tracks. With a menacing frown.

"The fuck is your problem?" Kristine muttered.

"The fuck is my problem?!" Cayce blunted. "Did you two think I didn't overhear your private discussion in that basement? Did you really think you could keep secrets from us?!"

"Son of a bitch," I hissed and scratched my head.

"That's right! You Prescott shits still like to get your hands dirty using Chrysalis, don't you?"

"Cayce, put that gun down," begged Kristine. "Now!"

"She's one of them, Commander! One of those – those…"

"Herd of Whales members."

"Exactly! We can't let this traitorous bitch walk scot-free!"

"Keep your voice down, Corporal!" I snapped. "That's an order!"

"Pull up your sleeve," demanded Cayce.

"What?" Kristine thought.

"Pull – up – your – sleeve."

Kristine did what Cayce asked and exposed her dirty little secret. My corporal was not impressed.

"I fucking knew it," he said. "David, we need to tell them."

"No, Cayce," I said. "We don't."

"Commander, the team has to know. Betrayal doesn't go unpunished in Chrysalis."

"We are keeping this to ourselves. End of story."

"The hell it is."

"David, don't," warned Kristine. "We agreed not to tell them. You know what will happen to me if word gets out."

"Why should we trust her? Next thing I know she'll be standing in ConDef's shoes the second we walk out of this passage."

"This is bigger than ConDef, Cayce," said Kristine. "This is my family's heritage. Long before they started crapping ConDef's diapers."

"Yeah, but it's your heritage to take over the world too. Like when your dad turned on Max Caulfield and turned Arcadia Bay into a civil war between Chrysalis and activist. Or when we worked with Neo-Chrysalis and Derrick Crosby to-"

"Don't you ever bring up my dad again! Everything people have spat on my family for comes from him! Mark Jefferson, Nathan getting killed, Neo-Chrysalis, everything. My mom and I decided to help Chrysalis after the government defunct my family's foundation over everything my dad did all for the good of what the Prescotts once stood for. What the Herd of Whales once stood for. Long before the dark times in Arcadia Bay. You expose me to everyone, what's left of the family will once again be disgraced from its absolution."

"Well, that's just too bad, princess. You'll just have to live with that."

"Goddammit, Cayce!"

"Both of you, can it!" I barked. "I'm your commander. I get a say in this and I live with the consequences."

"What's it gonna be then, David?" Cayce asked. "We expose her or we risk this team's reputation for trial and dereliction?"

"You know what's the right thing to do, David," said Kristine. "Don't let my disloyalty of this team get in the way of your judgment. The choice is yours."

 **X/SQUARE/LM – EXPOSE KRISTINE**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM – COVER KRISTINE**

"We're keeping this silent, Cayce," I decided. "That is the final word."

"You won't regret this, David," said Kristine.

"Oh, we'll regret it sooner or later, Commander," said Cayce. "And when we do, we'll be holding you accountable."

"Noted, Corporal," I said. "Our mission stands. Let's get on with it and stand down. You had your orders."

 **Note: So it's been a busy couple of weeks for me in college, replaying all of LIS before the second season is out, and recovering from my mourning of Telltale's demise over the weekend. There may be hope for TWD's final season to be complete yet, though. Apologies for the week's long hiatus. I did warn you all it'll be slower, but I trust I've got my schedule straight as I always do. This episode of Eternity War should be complete in the coming weeks sometime in October before Halloween approximately. So just sit tight and thank you for your patience. I'll be playing the first episode of LIS2 tomorrow when I can! Enjoy the premiere, everyone!**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	24. Abducted

Chapter 24 Abducted

Max

July 21st, 2017

2:49 PM

Rome, Italy

Rome Airstrip

A bag over my head is pulled away uncovering my sleepy face. I'm awakening from my anesthesia rendered by one of Alkaline's right-hand men. I wake up on a chair with my wrist bound by plastic cable ties. In a room surrounded by ConDef goons and the same mercenary thug who knocked me out with a stick of wood staring eye to eye in front of me. Sitting down on another chair backward. Beginning to interrogate me once I was fully awake.

"Mattina, occhi luminosi," the merc spoke in Italian. "Or as they say in my country and yours: Morning, bright eyes. Remember me? Name's Tie as Alkaline calls me. You should thank me, darling."

"Uh…right," I said confused. "Thanks."

"No, really. The Prescott lady paid me to get rid of you. But for me? I'm a nice guy. I saved your life. Right now, I'm the only friend you got."

"Uh-huh. And now you figure I owe you something. Is that it?"

"Smart gal. I like that. You are way ahead of me. It is really a simple question. Meridian Prime."

"Of course."

"Where is it?"

"I don't know, buddy."

"Bullshit."

"Look, even if I did know, my life wouldn't be worth very much once I told you now. Would it?"

"You insult me."

"You're a mercenary."

"And a good businessman. Give me some respect!"

The mercenary named Tie got off his chair and stood up continuing the interrogation. Walking behind me for intimidation and pressure.

"Let's try this again," continued Tie. Opening his mouth next to my ear. "Where – is – Meridian, Max?"

"Look," I said. "You can torture me all you want-"

"Okay."

"But I can't tell you what I don't know."

Tie was beginning to walk away as his fellow ConDef thugs ganged up between me.

"Maybe so," he said as he was about to leave the room. "We'll see if your friends and family are more…cooperative."

"What?" I started. "Who?"

"Your friends. Rachel Amber and Frank Bowers? And your Uncle and cousin Bryan and Alex Caulfield. I don't want to do this, but you've clearly forced my hand."

"Wait-"

"No, no, no. You have given me no choice. Perhaps your companions will be more grateful for their lives."

Tie approached the exit and I yelled at me as he was making his exit across the door.

"Wait!" I shouted. "You leave my friends and family alone!"

"Cheers, Max," said Tie. Shutting the door behind him and leaving me with his other hostile men to torment me.

"You don't touch them!" I barked.

A larger mercenary stood in front of me. One that stood seven-foot-tall and as tall as the body-built thug I fought back at the Low Bar in Vancouver. My greetings with my torturer weren't going to be a pleasant one. The foreboding torturer made a sinister laugh.

"This is gonna be fun," said the brutish torturer.

The man hit me in the check with his fingers clenched together and it stung. Last time I was bound to a chair, it wasn't any less unpretty. Except getting photoshoots was less abusive than a strike across the face. My torturer circles around me and continued interrogating until I opened my mouth.

"Don't want to tell us what we want to know, huh?" My interrogator thought.

The man leaned his close to my face with a sickening frown. I return the expression, headbutt the man, and stand on my legs while still bound on the chair and crashing it against the wall break me free and knocking another good down. I break out of my restraints like Supergirl and start playing Super-Max the time warrior with Alkaline's thugs.

I swing my fist at the tall man and he ducked beneath my strike and strangles me by my shirt. I shake him off and headbutt him again. He swings his fist at me and I duck under his fist to give him a counterstrike across the face. Then one last blow to the nose knocks him down for good. The tall brute wasn't as strong as the last, but that was a minimal problem. The major problem was me against a dozen guys. Where was Alex or Rachel when you need them? Captured, that's where.

I pick up a wrench in the room and swing it across my next opponent that knocks him out with one hit. I spend the next minute punching, kicking, dodging, and countering my surrounding opponents like Batgirl and give Alkaline's men everything I've got. Unlike Rachel, I'm not usually this athletic when it comes to fighting. I have done a little bag and balloon punching here and there over the years to prepare myself for a scenario like this, however. Even when I had no reason to given my promise I had been breaking for the past two weeks.

Once the final blow was delivered to the last guy standing, it was time for the main event. An even taller brutish ConDef goon stormed inside to finish me as everyone's last resort. Now this was the opponent that was just as strong as the one I fought in the bar if not stronger than the last. Your gonna get now Caulfield. Time for round two of WWE: Super-Max Vs. the Bruiser.

"Oh, shit," I said. "Where did you come from?"

The muscle man himself charged at me, swung his fist, and I dodged his fatal strike. Giving him a kick in the back to shove him over. I strike a couple of punches at my brutish opponent that are weak but thought fast until he counters one of them and throws a kick towards me which I dodge as well. Then I kick him myself right in the groin and throw another punch that hurts him more effectively. The brute is dropped to his knees and I keep striking again and again across his cheeks that have a little more effect on him than before. Right up until he counters my swings, seizes me by the shoulders, and attempts to give me fatal headbutt until I counter it as well.

I continue the same fighting technique and strategy until my brutal opponent is weak enough to drop down on his knees again. So I could hit him one last time in the face with my bare fist that renders him KO on the floor and completely down for the count. Fatality!

"And stay down…please," I say catching my breath.

I caught my last breath from all the heavy fighting. Taking a good look around the room fool of fallen sleepy heads put down with my fist and feet. The Amazing Spider-Max strikes again. Hella awesomesauce.

Looking around other details of the room, it appeared to be some kind of storage chamber. Crates, containers, right where I was tied to that chair for interrogation. Alkaline's men must've taken me here while I was knocked out. The question was if Alex and the others were captured too, where did they take them? How long was I out too?

I also remembered the picture of Chloe that was taken in the streets of Rome. The one Joanna showed me at that café table outdoors. Were my parents out here to look for me too? If everyone I left behind on this suicide trip was out to get me, I was going to have a lot to answer for with all my shenanigans. If ConDef hadn't captured them too, that is. Joanna did promise she'd leave Chloe and everyone else on the outside I was close to out of this if I had done what she asked. I may have just blown that the second I cut and ran after Alkaline.

I no longer had the codex nor the shard with me. They clearly had taken them out of my pockets when I was captured. I needed to get out of here. I take the exit Tie took earlier and open the door to a small hallway where I see my harness hanging the wall, but all my other gear is gone. Gun holster empty and flashlight removed too.

"Empty," I said. "Of course, it's empty."

I put on my harness and walk down the hall for the exit outdoors. Once I stepped outside for the sweet fresh air, I took a good look around to find myself in the middle of an airstrip outside of Rome. Storage crates and containers stacked around, luggage holed up in places, it was indeed an airport of some sort. And not the Leonardo Da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport tourist land in town, but an outpost ConDef must be used as a private facility of operations.

"Where the hell am I?" I wondered.

I also notice the sun coming down. Confirming it was close to the middle of the afternoon going on the early evening. I must've been out for hours tied up and bagged in that room. I hope Chloe hadn't gotten herself tied into this while tracking me down here. I'll be ready for that slap in the face and breakdown after I find Alex and the others as well as the codex and shard needed for the rest of the journey. Anytime. Any day I don't get captured by ConDef and tear my relationship with Chloe is a good day.

"Look at this place," I said. "Shit. Here goes nothing."


	25. Search and Rescue

Chapter 25 Search and Rescue

Cayce

July 21st, 2017

4:15 AM

Canyon Springs, Idaho

Canyon Springs Christian Church

To think a Prescott could actually be trusted in Chrysalis. To think someone would be idiotic enough to put her mom as the CEO of Chrysalis too. And to think I was starting to grow on Kristine a little as well. Now since David had the final say to put a zipper on Kristine's secret from here on, who knows what will happen to her and us if word got out to anyone else? My money says a court-martial and fifty-year sentence in Quantum Prospekt. Leaving Valor Team defunct from duty and existence. On David's orders, I never brought up the secret again.

After threatening Kristine with my own pistol for her to be exposed to the team of her secret, the three of us reach down towards something strange in the dark tunnel under the church. A small room lit with candles and a strange statue in front. As well as a pedestal holding an old book. Must be an altar of some kind. Like I haven't seen one of these before.

"What is this place?" Kristine asked. Entering the room with us.

"I don't know," I said. "But I hope it's the place where we can find what we came here for."

David took a peek at the old book on the pedestal and according to the cover, it wasn't some half-priced family bible. The cover had a strange symbol on it shaped like a whale. The same symbol that was marked on Kristine's arm. Speak of the devil.

"I know that symbol," said Kristine. "The Herd of Whales. Like the one marked on my arm."

"Yeah," I said. "Like the one marked on your arm."

David opened the cover to the book and there laid on old note hidden on the rear of the cover. He picked it up and read the note himself.

"For those in the conflict of the same one my father failed to resolve years ago," he began reading. "Page 1,859 is the key to winning the next Eternity War against Ares. EPJ."

"EPJ?" Kristine thought. "I know those initials."

"How?"

"Those are Ezra Prescott, Jr.'s initials. An ancestor of mine from you-know-what."

"And what does your ancestor have to do with this?"

"Never mind her ancestor," I said. "What does page one-thousand-something say?"

David turned to the right page of the book to where the note said to turn. When he was at the right page, the text was written in a foreign language. The was another note on the page that read: "The text of this book is written in Greek. Find a translator to decipher. – EPJ".

"Great," I said. "We're supposed to speak Greek now. What do we do now?"

"Unless you want to spend thousands of hours on Google Translate deciphering this, Cayce," said Kristine. "We take this back to the Oregon and find someone who can."

 _"_ _Cage to Madsen! Cage to Madsen! What's your location! Tell me you found what we're looking for!"_

"We're in some kind of altar under the church," responded David. "We also found some strange book in here that may be our McGuffin out of here. It might take a little deciphering back on the Oregon to understand what it really is. What's your status?"

 _"_ _SOS is our status! We got ConDef outdoors and we don't have the combat efficiency here to take them all on! We got our AC-130 supporting us, but they won't be online forever!"_

"Are the refugees still safe inside?"

 _"_ _Not in here they won't! We need you, Foley, and Prescott back here on the double! Orders are orders!"_

"Just give us your location."

 _"_ _Front of the church, second story! Topside! Hurry!"_

* * *

Max

July 21st, 2017

3:02 PM

Rome, Italy

Rome Airstrip

I sneak my way past armed ConDef thugs and knock a few out to find where they were holding my cousin, uncle, and friends. And hope they haven't captured Chloe or anyone else absent from this trip too. Either way, I still owe Chloe a lot after this.

I come across another storage building in the middle of this airstrip to find who I'm looking for. I climb on top of some boxes to reach a window and get a look inside the building. When looking through the glass, I see Bryan, Rachel, and Frank tied up on the floor. But no Alex. At least no Chloe either. I open the window to call out for them.

"Bryan, Rachel, Frank!" I hissed. "Is that you?!"

"Max?!" Rachel hissed back. "You're alive!"

"Max!" Bryan hissed back. "Oh, thank heavens you're alright."

"Well, holy shit," said Frank. "Someone's still breathing."

"Stay there!" I ordered. "I'm coming down."

I climb through the window to help my friends and family. I carefully climb down a shelf as my stepping stone until I'm at the bottom. Then I approach the captives and untie them one by one.

"How did you find us?" Rachel asked. "We thought you were dead. What happened to you back there in the streets?"

"After I was drugged to death," I start explaining while untying Rachel. "I got holed up with Joanna and Alkaline. Then I was taken here to another storage room to be interrogated by Tie. I broke out and here I am finding you guys."

"Well, aren't you a fucking sight for sore eyes then," said Frank. "Maxine Caulfield, ever the survivor."

"Where's Alex?" I asked untying Bryan.

"They took her to a cargo plane headed for Beirut that'll be ready to take off here in any minute," answered Bryan. "And they've got the codex and the shard you found with them too. We have to hurry."

"How did you all end up here anyway?"

"Bryan and I were looking everywhere for you in those markets until Alkaline's men discovered us and captured us," said Rachel.

"And as soon as Alex and I were ambushed at the Ludus Magnus," said Frank. "They eventually caught us in their net."

"Did they hurt any of you?"

"A little," said Rachel. "Since we wouldn't talk, they said that they might find you more cooperative."

"That's what Tie told me back there in my warehouse. Guess I called his bluff. Asshole knocked me out flat."

"Who's Tie?" Frank wondered.

"One of Alkaline's right-hand men," said Bryan. "I think that was the same man who interrogated us too."

"Where's that cargo plane you said," I asked Bryan. "If Alex is there, we got no time to lose."

"Agreed. The plane should be docked on the runway not too far from. We have to move."

As soon as everyone was untied, we left the warehouse to find Alex and rescue her. During our search and rescue, we proceeded with caution past the guards and eventually found our way to the runway with cargo plane docked exactly where Bryan said it would be. The four of us climb over some containers to get a bird's eye view of the scene.

Bryan had binoculars with him to use to get a closer view. Scanning the runway until he spotted something that would peak our interest.

"What do you see, Bryan?" I asked.

"There," he pointed out. "See for yourself."

I take Bryan's binoculars and see what he sees. A convoy in the road to the runway where I see two jeeps and a truck, Tie and the other Lieutenant holding Alex captive with her hands tied, and Joanna and Alkaline confronting her. If they hurt her, I'll hurt them.

"It's Alex," I said. "They're loading her onto that convoy. And they've got the Eon Codex and Reality Shard acquired in they're fingers as well. Just like you said. Who's the other right-hand man with Tie?"

"Beluga," said Bryan. "Alkaline's other closest Lieutenant with Tie. I know Alkaline himself as well as Joanna are down there with Alex too."

"The real question is, how do we get to them? Any ideas?"

"I was hoping you'd have some ideas, Caulfield," said Rachel. "You're the one with the binoculars."

I take a better look around with the binoculars to find a way to rescue Alex. As soon as the convoy takes off, my plan was to steal one of the vehicles and chase after the convoy to get to Alex before they could reach the runway and cargo plane. There were also motorbikes parked nearby that could be useful too. Not the most stable vehicles to use, but they were faster.

"Okay," I said. "Here's a plan that might work. What do say one of us takes those jeeps and use them to chase after the truck they're carrying Alex in. There are also bikes parked to the side that one of us can drive too."

"Okay then," said Frank. "So who's driving what and what are our final options here? If you've got a plan, plan, Caulfield, spit it out and let's get on with it."

 **X/SQUARE/LM – DRIVE THE JEEP**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM – DRIVE THE BIKE**

"Alrighty," I said. "Rachel, I know you can drive a bike. Take one of those for a little back. I'll drive the jeep and Bryan and Frank can ride with me. Let's 'get' on with it."

"Amen," said Frank.

"Your plan may not be the greatest, Max," said Bryan. "But I know how you use your noggin. Sometimes better than Alex. Just as long as we're not reckless. I've put you and everyone else on this journey in enough danger as I already have."

"Be sure to tell my mom and dad that when they found out I lied to them about my new job," I said. "And my girlfriend Chloe, too."

As soon as Bryan and Frank move out, I stop Rachel for a moment to borrow her for a brief apology. Knowing Chloe was already in town looking for me, I know it was time for some sincerity with Rachel too.

"About earlier," I said. "I know you and Frank didn't ask for this, but neither did I. What matters now is that we save Alex and do this for her. If and when Chloe discovers this, you let me do the talking."

"I know you will, Max," said Rachel. "They only reason Frank and I are here is to look out for you when Chloe can't."

"Thank you."

 **Note: So if my calculations are correct, there are only three more chapters left to conclude this episode and then we're done! I'll be keeping this chapter short since the last three will be even bigger. Its been a difficult and busy time for me this year in college, but I'll take all the time I need for everyone's convenience including my own.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	26. Death From Above

Chapter 26 Death From Above

Thermal Imaging TV Operator

July 21st, 2017

4:22 AM

Canyon Springs, Idaho

AC-130H Spectre Gunship (Codename: Wildfire)

 **LOCKED: AC-130 SPECTRE**

 **Weapons:**

 **25mm Gatling Gun GA12**

 **Rate of Fire: 1800 RPM**

 **40mm Bofors Cannon L60**

 **Rate of Fire: 100 RPM**

 **105mm M102 Cannon**

 **Rate of Fire: 10 RPM**

I activate the thermal imaging for the guns to get a black and white visual on the ground below us. Reports of ConDef activity advancing on the Canyon Spring Christian Church called us in. Our ground combat was going to need air support from us to advance against enemy ground combatants. A radio transmission from a Captain Cage come on for orders.

 _"_ _Cage to Wildfire. We're protecting civilians inside the church. Confirm you have a visual on us."_

I move the camera to where I see the church and spot some strobe lighting on friendlies protecting the chapel outdoors.

"Got eyes on friendlies," I respond.

 _"_ _Crew, do not fire on any target marked by a strobe,"_ said the pilot of our gunship. _"Those are friendlies."_

"I see them, pilot. No engagement on the strobes."

 _"_ _Uh, TV,"_ said the navigator. _"Confirm you see the church in the town."_

"We see it. Start the clock."

 _"_ _Roger that,"_ said pilot. " _We're there. Start talking."_

 _"_ _You are not authorized to level the church,"_ said navigator. _"Do not fire directly on the church."_

"Got a vehicle moving now."

I see an armored truck on camera with personnel hopping out as the vehicle stopped. Then a couple more vehicles on route to assault the church. Possible ConDef approaching.

"The vehicles have stopped," I said. "Personnel coming out of the trucks."

 _"_ _We have armed personnel approaching the church,"_ said pilot. _"Request permission to engage."_

 _"_ _Copy,"_ replied navigator. _"You are cleared to engage the moving vehicles and any personnel outside the church you see."_

 _"_ _Affirmative. Crew, you are cleared to engage but do not fire on the church."_

I fire the Bofors Cannon on the ConDef infantry exiting the truck and pop them like firecrackers. Giving them a death from above. Shooting them down on the streets of the town and on the hayfield next door. My fellow operators and pilot react to the shooting and kills I make. Commenting on how good the kills were.

A lot of other enemy personnel were surrounding other corners of the church. Our pilot orbited the gunship in a circle to oversee the plain of the neighborhood of the church overrun by ConDef. I fire the cannon a bunch more times to pick them off one by one. Whether it'd be twelve-o-clock north, three-o-clock east, six-o-clock south, or nine-o-clock west around the church, I made sure all enemies were neutralized for our guys in the church protecting the refugees inside. There was ground support engaging ConDef in all directions of the church, whether it'd be with turrets or rifles, our AC-130 was going to be their best pal.

While our eye in the sky continued engaging, more radio chatter from inside had spoken on our channel. Another transmission from Cage.

 _"_ _Look who decided to show their faces,"_ said Cage. _"ConDef is outside!"_

 _"_ _What do you need from us, Captain?"_ A soldier on the channel asked.

 _"_ _Heard and I will protect the church with Logos, Newblood, and Mason along with our outdoor defenses. Take Wheeler with you three and keep them off our asses from up here."_

 _"_ _Yes, sir!"_

As I kept engaging ConDef around the church with my firing crew, we get a transmission from a Commander Madsen from inside.

 _"_ _Wildfire, this is Commander Madsen. I'm with Valor Two. Captain Cage and Valor One are defending the church with our ground support outside. Keep up the fire! Valor Two out."_

 _"_ _Roger that,"_ replied pilot. _"Engage anything without a flashing strobe light. Those are all hostiles."_

 _"_ _Recalibrate azimuth sweep angle,"_ said navigator. _"Adjust elevation scan."_

* * *

David

July 21st, 2017

4:27 AM

Canyon Springs, Idaho

Canyon Springs Christian Church

As I'm fighting with my usual compatriots on the upper floor of the church shooting up ConDef with my rifle out the windows, Richard Marsh is up here defending his church with us. Using his pump-action rifle and sniping down enemy infantry. I've never seen a pastor like him as the combat type for situations like these.

"You're a pretty good shot for a Preacher, you know," I said to him. "I hope you won't have to sin for it."

"It's called hunting practice, Commander," replied Richard. "And self-defense. Which neither is a sin to be forgiven."

Suddenly, an unidentified noise is heard from the sky. A noise that certainly didn't come from the gunfire up on the AC-130. It was another screeching and roaring sound the matched the one I heard before in San Francisco back at SF Spectre. Everyone stopping firing their ammo. Chrysalis and ConDef included. A chill ran through my spine know what this noise belonged to.

 _"_ _Wildfire to all ground teams. We're picking up an unidentified flying object coming east of the church. Please advise."_

I get a good enough look up in the sky to confirm what I already knew. Every boot on the ground including my team and Cage's are mesmerized at the sight of the flying creature in the night sky. Even the ConDef troops on the other side stood down for what was coming. Which was nothing more than Ares's dragon descending from the stars in the moonlight. With Ares himself riding on.

"Commander," said Cayce. "Is that what I believe it is?"

"Sweet Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," said Richard. "What is that?"

 _"_ _Wildfire to ground teams. We see whatever we're seeing descending to your positions. Do we engage?! Respond!"_

"Hold your fire, Wildfire," I respond. "Do not fire until I give the order. This is about to get ugly."

Without another moment to spare, Ares lands his dragon in front of the church with a thud on the ground caused by the dragon's hands and feet and a loud roar that echoes inside that everyone can hear. The refugees panic and holler. Including the Marsh family. Mary hugs her youngest daughter Lynn in the middle of the panicking crowd and Kate holds hands with Laura.

The defending Chrysalis teams out in the front yard of the church, including Valor One, march towards the sandbags and hold their ground with their rifles as well as turrets aimed directly at the god of war himself. Marching over to the church for confrontation. Captain Cage orders his men to prepare to fire on his command. I tell Cage to let everyone cease fire until it was safe for weapons free. If we had tried anything, the situation could get just as unattractive as it was back at SF Spectre. Ares stops in his path to speak.

"David Madsen," said Ares. "I know you're in there. We meet again at last."

"How do you know my name?" I asked communicating with Ares in the distance. "What do you from me?"

"I know a lot of things about you since we last met in San Francisco. The Mind Shard read your memories when I had you in my grasp. What I want is that script you've found in that church. I understand you have some kind of relationship with the traveler as the Mind Shards tells."

Logos and Newblood turn their heads at one another while standing their ground and their guns aimed at Ares. Wondering how Ares knows me so well of all the soldiers in this refuge that aren't anyone special to him. Heard and Mason do the same.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied. "Whatever this traveler is."

"Lies that defy the Mind Shard will be tolerated no longer," said Ares. "To clarify, the one you call Max Caulfield, the traveler of Arcadia, the savior of Portland, is the girl you have memories of."

My body is frozen. Did he just say Max Caulfield? What about her? Why did he refer to her as the traveler? Kristine turns her head to me. Shocked to hear Max's name too. I know Kate in the crowd had to have overheard her name too. And she did. She was shocked to hear her name too.

"Your traveler believes she could challenge me into winning this war for your so-called Chrysalis army," continued Ares. "She believes she could assemble every Eternity Shard, find the Ark of Genesis, and thwart me of my plans to bring balance to the universe. To bad my ConDef army has Max in their capture to ensure otherwise. Eon auternum."

"You're bluffing!" I snarled. "The Max I know would never just get herself involved in this war for whatever reason you think she has! The Max I know is out there finding a better future than risking her life the way she did in Portland!"

"It would seem you aren't aware of Max's current actions at all. It matters not. I need more than just my Eternity Shards to keep my war plan in motion. I need that script you have in that church. Hand over the script and will assure you the lives in the church will be spared. Both soldiers and refugees."

"Don't do it, David!" Cayce warned. "It's a trap! You give that script to him and he'll just stab you right in the heart!"

"If I come out there and give you the script," I said. "How do I guarantee you'll leave everyone out of harm's way?!"

"My guarantee means nothing to you, Commander," said Ares. "What matters most is that script is with me and your people will indeed be left out of harm's way. Your men open fire, they die. You call in your air support, they die. The lives of your men and refugees are in your hands. The choice is yours."

 _"_ _Wildfire to Madsen. Do we engage on whatever's down there? Over."_

Just fantastic. Now that I've some sort of attachment with Ares, he knows about Max. I don't know what Max has to do with this, but if Ares ever laid one finger on her, it would be the last thing I'd forgive myself for. And worst of all, the lives of everyone in this church are on me. Including the Marshes. I almost costed Kate's life once, I won't cost hers again. If I go out there and surrender the script to Ares, maybe he'll spare everyone else. But might also kill me as soon as I do.

If I call in an airstrike from the gunship a thousand feet above, the next thing I know the dragon will breathe fire on this church like a smore. No one will survive. The fate of these innocent lives rest upon my valor shoulders

 **X/SQUARE/LM – SURRENDER THE SCRIPT**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM – CALL IN AIRSTRIKE**

"Madsen to Wildfire," I whispered on my comm. "On checkmate, engage on the UFO."

 _"_ _Copy Madsen. Standing by for orders."_

I really hope I don't go to hell for this. My plan was to pretend to surrender the script to Ares and as soon as I'm out in the open, I say checkmate and then bang, bang, boom, boom. Whatever the cost.

"Alright, Ares!" I called out. "You win! I'm coming out! The script is yours!"

"David, what are you doing?!" Kristine snapped.

"Trust me."

I walked straight out of the church with the book with the whale symbol in my hand. Pretending I was surrendering as the friendlies outside watched. Including Cage and Valor One.

"David, what are you doing out here?!" Newblood panicked.

Everyone stood down and kept watching. Assuming I knew what to do. Ares kept standing in front of his dragon. Waiting for his prize and reaching out for it with his up in front of him. As soon as my feet reach between the church and the dragon, dead in the center, I call it in.

"Checkmate," I whisper on comm.

Then I immediately make a run back to the church and order everyone to hit the deck.

"Everyone get clear!" I alerted. "Move! Move!"

Ares noticed my trick and turned his head up to see missiles descending from the orbiting gunship. The missiles plummeted onto Ares and dragon into combustions of explosions. Minorly damaging the dragon and pissing it off with a painful roar. But a 100 RPM canon wouldn't harm the god of war himself. As he emerged from the explosion that made him furious, having been made an ignorant out of himself by me, he hadn't forgotten his word.

"You just signed your death warrant, David!" Ares thundered. "My ConDef army will finish you!"

As soon as Ares fled back into the night sky with his dragon, I keep the script safe in my hands while the Chrysalis soldier and Valor One open fire on the fleeing dragon carrying ConDef's deity. More radio chatter from Wildfire came on.

 _"_ _We got a moving vehicle here,"_ said Wildfire's FCO.

 _"_ _Negative, negative,"_ warned another FCO. _"Do not engage. I repeat do engage vehicle on the main highway."_

I think I knew what these vehicles were. They were the evac trucks picking up the refugees. That's a relief. More so just after Ares was out of the picture. That being the idea.

"Wildfire," said Cage on comm. "We're going to commandeer civilian transports on the main highway. Cover us!"

 _"_ _Crew,"_ said the pilot on comm. _"Do not engage any vehicles traveling on the main highway. Those are civilians. Ground units are acquiring alternate transports at this time. Do not engage any vehicles on the highway unless cleared to do so."_

 _"_ _I bet that guy's pissed!"_ An operator joked on comm. _"That's a nice truck!"_

 _"_ _Nah, hehe. He's scared shitless."_


	27. Stowaway

Chapter 27 Stowaway

Max

July 21st, 2017

3:16 PM

Rome, Italy

Rome Airstrip

The convoy was off. Alex was aboard. And the chase was on. The truck carrying Alex as ConDef's captive drove in front of the convoy. Followed by a jeep behind it. As the four of us were in pursuit of the convoy driving down the roads of the airstrip in route to the cargo plane docked on the runway, Rachel took a motorbike and drove in front of us. While I drove the jeep behind her riding with Bryan and Frank.

Tie was driving the truck in front of the convoy holding Alex in the trunk with Beluga watching her. The jeep behind the truck was mounted with a turret and a gunner was commandeering it. The four of us had to be smart if we were to get to that truck with getting caught in the armed jeep's crossfire.

Rachel sped her bike up like a hotrod to catch up with the convoy. I kept up with her driving as fast as I could on the 4x4 vehicle as well. The mohawked ConDef soldier driving the Truck caught the four of us with his rearview mirror. Tie signaled the jeep behind him to order the gunner to engage on us. Rachel pulled out her pistol and drove close enough to the jeep to get a decent range for shooting. Once she fired her pistol at the jeep, the gunner aimed the turret in Rachel's direction and lit up the juice.

The turret fire caused Rachel to drive out of control in an attempt to avoid the bullets. Only for her drift off the road and roll out of the bike. I drive right past her to where she crashed the bike. I would go after her, but there was no time. Assuming Rachel could quickly get back behind the wheel, I sped up and kept on the convoy's tailing. The gunner on the jeep returns fire and starts spraying the bullets on the three of us. Tie watches us from the truck with his mirror attempting to dodge the bullets the way Rachel did.

Unfortunately for Bryan, Frank, and I, the jeep took too many hits from the turret fire and damaged the engine. Leaking sparks of steam out of the front of the 4x4. Fortunately for Rachel, when I drove the jeep off to the curve of the road, Rachel reappeared with her bike back on the asphalt again from our tail and surprised the gunner with her own pistol bullets. The blonde rod herself shot and killed the gunner in her sights. Taking him out of the picture and giving us the upper hand. I had one idea to get to Alex faster. It was a crazy, but crazy ideas have helped us before.

I shift my gear to Dx3 and picked up the pace towards the disarmed jeep. If I could just drive my jeep parallel to the other on the other land of the road, I could hop out and jump toward the passenger's seat of turret vehicle. Throwing the driver out and commandeering his 4x4 to catch up to Alex. Leaving Bryan to drive this 4x4 after me and ride with Frank. My opposing vehicle wasn't going to have it easy on me, however.

I keep driving to one side of the road and the enemy 4x4 drives it in the same lane to block my maneuver. Each time the ConDef driver zigged when I zagged, I clearly wasn't fast enough to drive next to him. I shift gears to Dx4 and as soon as an opening gave me the opportunity to speed up next to the opposing vehicle, I punched the gas peddle to the metal and finally caught the guy right where I wanted him. Right beside us.

I tell Bryan to take the wheel. I hop right out of the 4x4 and make a perfect jump to the passenger's seat of my adversary. Soon as I'm in the enemy's car, the driver takes his pistol and tries shooting me out. I seize the pistol in his hand to struggle against his will. Then I headbutt the driver and toss him out in the asphalt. Hijacking the 4x4 and getting behind the wheel of it. Goal achieved.

Now the lead vehicle carrying Alex was dead ahead of me. But to make matters close yet so far, the bearded and shaded ConDef trooper named Beluga took an M32 grenade launcher and aimed it directly at me. Ready to fire out from the trunk of the truck. I gasped.

"Max, watch out!" Alex shout and warned. Tied up in the trunk.

Beluga fired his grenade away. I jerk the wheel in a sudden attempt to avoid the grenade. Right when it explodes in my face. Causing the jeep to drive out of control and crash into a load of cargo and luggage. Losing my pursuit of Alex's capturers for good.

* * *

David

July 21st, 2017

4:33 AM

Canyon Springs, Idaho

Canyon Springs Christian Church

It was time to evacuate the refugees out of the church with ConDef ground forces and Ares out of the painting and the civilian trucks at their arrival. Ready for pickup. Every Chrysalis soldier available in the church vicinity hustled every local out the front exit for extraction. Including the Marshes. Father Richard made a quick agreement with me for him and his family to ride in the vehicle I was driving with the usual half of the team I went along with.

Our friendly Chrysalis troops taped strobe light beacons on the roofs of the trucks for our air support to identify them as friendlies and avoid friendly fire. I hear Cage's voice hollering across the crowd of refugees rushing their way to the vehicles in order to guide them to safety. I see the sisters, including Kate holding her bunny rabbit in a cage, and their mom Mary getting inside our vehicle. With their dad, Richard hopping in after them. Cage, Kristine, Cayce, and Flint decide to ride in the vehicle I'm driving. Logos, Newblood, and Mason ride in a vehicle with refugees where Heard was in charge of driving. As soon I was in the driver's seat in front of the truck taking the wheel, Cage took shotgun and the rest of the team I brought with rode in the back seats with the Marsh family.

"Wildfire, we're marking the vehicles!" I spoke on comm. "Confirm you see the beacons!"

 _"_ _Roger,"_ said the FCO. _"We see the beacons. Crew, do not fire on the vehicles marked with the flashing beacons. I repeat, do NOT fire on the vehicles with the flashing beacons. Those are friendlies. By the way Madsen, what was that thing you encountered by the church when it landed? The UFO we were just shooting down before it fled."_

"Can it, Wildfire. Just make sure you don't shoot us to death with those lights on."

 _"_ _You got it."_

 _"_ _Heads up,"_ warned the navigator. _"Hostile forces are setting up ambush points along the curved road."_

 _"_ _Uh, navigation, which one's the curved road? Over."_

 _"_ _Fire control, do you see the water tower? Over."_

 _"_ _TV, confirm you see the water tower."_

 _"_ _Are you talking about the, uh, water tower near the intersection?"_ The TV operator wondered.

 _"_ _Roger,"_ replied the navigator. _"That's the one. And next to that water tower is a curved road. Do you see that?"_

 _"_ _Roger that,"_ said the FCO.

 _"_ _Track that road into the next village. You should be able to see another water tower in the village further down that road."_

 _"_ _Uh, we're having a bit of trouble acquiring the village. How far up the road is it?"_

 _"_ _Approximately…uh, hang on. It's about two clicks along the curved road. Going away from the highway."_

 _"_ _Roger that,"_ replied the TVO.

 _"_ _We're banking towards the village,"_ said the pilot. _"Stand by to engage ground targets."_

As I hit the gas and drove along with the other civilian vehicles, Kate shouted out a question about Max in the back seats. Holding her bunny and sitting with her family and my team.

"David, who was that out there?!" She questioned. "He sounded like he knew you. And how did he know Max?! What was he talking about?"

"Yeah, Commander," said Richard. "How did whoever the hell he was know you? And I'm not sure if I've gone mad, but what was that – creature – that thing he was with?! God forbid this war to keep my sanity at bay."

"How about we play twenty questions on the chopper, both of you," I replied. "Then I'll be ready for my confession. Not that kind of confession. Either way, forgive me, father. But we all have sinned in this war. And I don't mean that sarcastically."

"All is forgiven."

 _"_ _We got hostiles setting up along the curved road,"_ said the TVO on comm.

 _"_ _Hostiles preparing to ambush along the curved road,"_ said the FCO on comm. _"They're partially concealed by the trees."_

As I turn on the intersection of the curved road with the forward trucks, I warn everyone to hang tight for when shit happens.

"Alright everyone," I said. "Hang tight! We're about to have some ConDef flanking us that our gunship will outflank."

"You heard my secondary in command," said Cage. "Keep the kids buckled up for the ride and we'll be driving real smoothly."

"Mom, I'm scared," wept Lynn. "I don't want to die out here."

"You're not going to die here, Lynn," said Mary. "We're going to be okay. God will protect us."

Then suddenly, the whoosh of an RPG rocket flew past us with a loud boom. Hitting a tree next to the road. We braced ourselves as the Rocket missed us and the other trucks. Mary hugged her youngest daughter tightly as she retreated.

 _"_ _Whoa!"_ The TVO reacted. _"Someone just fired an RPG!"_

 _"_ _Roger that,"_ replied the FCO. _"Crew, go ahead and take out everything in that village."_

 _"_ _Targets in the village are confirmed as hostile,"_ said the pilot. _"Cleared to engage. Smoke'em."_

I could the gunship's Bofor Cannon firing in the distance at hostiles out in the village. We hear bullets digging against the bulletproof walls of the truck. ConDef infantry from in the trees freeing their weapons on us.

"Wildfire, we're under attack!" Cage warned. "We could use some help here!"

 _"_ _Crew, track those smoke trails and take 'em out at the source,"_ said FCO. _"Clear a path for our guys."_

 _"_ _Personnel on the roof of that U-shaped building,"_ said TVO.

 _"_ _Ugh, U-shaped building?"_

 _"_ _Roger. It's the one with the square structure on the roof. It's the one with a flat roof."_

 _"_ _Rollin' in,"_ said Pilot.

The cannon fires again and blasts down everyone on the U-shaped building roof in the village like skyrockets. Even crumbling the building to the ground like a house of Legos. This war won't be known for its discretion. Especially with public property. The gunship continues firing on other hostiles in the village. From residential households to grain mills to tanks camped out in the trees to everywhere else. Eventually, our convoy makes it to the civilian evacuation landing zone in the junkyard of Canyon Springs. This mission was close to accomplishment.

"Wildfire, we're approaching the LZ at the junkyard and leaving the vehicles," informed Cage.

 _"_ _Roger that, Valor,"_ said FCO. _"Crew, friendlies are leaving the vehicles and moving on foot towards the LZ. Do not fire on any personnel marked with a flashing strobe."_

 _"_ _Affirmative,"_ said another FCO. _"Keep watching for those strobe lights. Those are friendlies."_

 _"_ _Enemy personnel in the junkyard,"_ said TVO.

 _"_ _Crew, go ahead and smoke'em."_

* * *

Max

July 21st, 2017

3:21 PM

Rome, Italy

Rome Airstrip

I wake out of my unconsciousness caused by the shock from the crash. My 4x4 was badly damaged on impact. The engine was crushed and the glass window was shattered upon combusting into the cargo I crashed into. I'm crucially lucky I was blown into orbit by the grenade or I would've ended up in a William situation. Maybe worse.

I step out of my vehicle that was DOA and see Bryan driving the 4x4 I hopped out of into the scene. The engine was minorly damaged, but the car was still drivable. Then Rachel approached my presence with her bike and made a stop to hop out. Bryan and Frank hop out of their vehicle as well to check on my safety.

"Max!" Bryan shouted. "Max, what the hell happened?! Where did they go?!"

"One of Alkaline's thugs shot a grenade launcher and made me lose control," I replied. "That truck is still going! We have to catch up!"

"Whoa, whoa, there, girly," said Frank. Pausing me from running. "No way you're catching up to those ConDicks alone. You gonna get your ass killed as usual."

"That truck looks like it already reached the runway," said Rachel. Pointing out the plane on the runway. "Its already loading itself on the plane. Let's go. Now!"

The four of us run towards a fence in front of the runway and see the plane loading cargo and trucks in the hold from its tail ramp. Including the one carrying Alex. No time to lose.

"Alright," I said. "Looks like it's a straight shot from here."

"Yeah," said Rachel.

"I'm gonna climb to the top. Then I'll help the rest of you over."

"Alright."

"Keep me covered."

"Okay."

"Very well," said Bryan.

"If you insist," said Frank.

I had lied to the three of them and climbed up the fence and downward. Leaving my three companions alone on the other side and myself alone on my side.

"Max, what are you-?" Bryan questioned before knowing what I was. As everyone else did too. "Max?"

"Max, what are you do-?" Rachel asked before I cut her off.

"Rachel, Bryan, listen," I said from my side of the fence.

"Damn it," said Rachel. "I knew you would try something like this."

Rachel tried climbing up the fence herself. I wouldn't let her.

"Don't," I said. "Please."

Rachel got off the bars of the fence and listened. So did Frank and Bryan.

"Max, what's going on here?" Bryan asked.

"Let's be honest," I said. "This is a…this is a million-to-one-shot. And when I almost costed your life before, Rachel-"

"You're not gonna," said Rachel.

"I just can't do that again. Fernando almost got himself killed today because of me and I won't afford to risk the life of you nor Frank any longer than I have. So, take that jeep over there and get the hell out of here. Alright?"

There was another jeep parked on the other side of the fence. Less damaged than the one we had stolen. I recommended that the three of them take the car and get out while I go after Alex. Rachel turned her head at me in the eye with a sigh of acceptance.

"While you can?" I continued. "Just get back to the hotel and make sure Fernando and Kristen are safe at the hospital too."

"You haven't got much time," said Rachel.

"Frank, as for you, I'd hate to have you lose your lioness twice. We both know that, right?"

"It's still hard to take you seriously sometimes," said Frank. "But I still want to. You do what you need to, Caulfield."

"Bryan, keep them safe. And if I don't get Alex out in one piece, tell Chloe I'm sorry I lied to her about this. That apology goes for Mom and Dad too."

"If anything happens to you or Alex," said Bryan. "I'll be held responsible."

"Go," said Rachel.

The three of them leave me behind to get on the jeep. As soon as they hopped in, Rachel glanced back at me for a goodbye and then they were off. It was just me now. Going after Alex, kicking some ass, and getting on that plane.

I ran for the gate to the runway as soon as Rachel, Frank, and Bryan was out of sight. Then gate shuts on me when ConDef soldiers spot me right before I enter the runway. The plane had finished loading its cargo and was ready to take flight. And Alex was on that plane. I had to find another way around and fast.

"Agh, dammit!" I muttered.

ConDefs were now shooting at me with every bullet they had. A spotlight had shinned on me for everyone with a rifle to get a visual. A run-up and climb up a building to get around the gate. I hit a soldier in the face up on the roof of the building, take his gun, and put him on the ground with a single bullet. I shot at a couple more guys who were doing all they could to keep me away from the runway with my rifle.

I spot an opening that would take me directly to the plane. I keep running towards the opening. Jumping onto stacked containers and diving into a pile of luggage bags. I got out of everyone's luggage and I was now at my opening. The cargo plane was dead ahead of me. Making it's turn on the runway and stopping for a full speed ahead. But as soon as I was halfway towards the plane running under the loud propellers, the plane was moving again and was now beginning to lose it.

I run behind the plane as quick as I could. Pumping my heart out, burning every calorie, and exhausting my breath away trying to keep up with the plane. There was no way I was going to catch up on foot. The plane was moving faster. Where were Rachel and everyone when I needed them? That's when I see the jeep her, Frank, and Bryan had taken driving into the runway to save the day. A sight for sore eyes at best.

Rachel was driving the 4x4 with Bryan in the front passenger's seat and Frank sitting in the back. She drove the car next to me and slowed down a little so I could keep up.

"Atta girl," I panted.

"I got you!" Rachel shouted. "Come on!"

I ran my last breath to the vehicle, take Bryan's hand from his seat, hang onto the jeep with the metal bars. Now to catch my breath and catch that plane.

"Hey," I said. "Déjà vu, right?"

"Yeah," said Rachel.

"Just get me up to the landing gear!"

"Okay!"

Rachel hit the gas and sped up to the plane as quick as she could. Eventually, we were driving under the aircraft between the rear landing wheels. Speeding up closer and closer. Racing against the plane's speed. The plane itself almost reached the end of the runway and would eventually lift itself off the asphalt and airborne. Once we were close enough two the front landing wheel under the cockpit, I cautiously climb onto the hood of the jump and balance myself on it. Ready to make a jump for the landing gear.

"Careful!" Bryan warned.

"Just keep it steady!" I directed. "To the right! More this way!"

Rachel drifted the jeep to the right to keep the vehicle in the center. Granting my opportunity to jump onto the gear this instant.

"Jump!" Rachel shouted. "Now!"

I jump off the hood and onto the landing gear right when the plane gets off the ground and begins its ascent. Taking flight into the Rome airspace where I now see Rachel pulling off the runway a thousand feet below. Hanging onto the landing gear as it was enclosing itself into the plane's interior for flight. My way of getting inside the plane to rescue Alex. The doors to the gear shut behind me. I was concealed inside the vents of the aircraft. Now to find my captive cousin and get the hell off this flying heap of metal.

* * *

David

July 21st, 2017

4:39 AM

Canyon Springs, Idaho

Canyon Springs Landfill

I stop the truck past the gate of the junkyard along with the other trucks in the civilian convoy. My team and I let everyone out and hop out of the truck without weapons ready to take on any ground boogies ourselves. Heard's team hops out with their group of civvies as well. And soon every other rescue team in the trucks hop out safely with other refugees too.

We all see the AC-130 UP in the continuously firing its cannon and plummeting their ammo onto enemy boots on the ground invading the junkyard. Turning the place into Michael Bay explosions to their own accord.

 _"_ _Man, these guys are going to town!"_ The FCO chanted.

The missiles from the cannon take out a cargo crane in the dump. Causing the crane to collapse to the ground like the Eiffel Tower going down in the movies. A cacophonous crash is heard with the explosion as the crane hits rock bottom.

"Richard, get your wife and girls to cover until the choppers arrive!" I ordered the father. "We'll cover you!"

Richard cooperated and hid his wife and children behind the trucks. Defending his family with his own rifle he was still carrying. Mary stayed hidden behind the truck with Kate, Lynn, and Laura. Kate was still holding onto her pet rabbit's cage as tight as she could for the love her pet. No matter how much she loved her bunny, I couldn't guarantee there would be pets allowed on the Oregon.

Every rescue team including Valor got into attack positions. Finding cover behind compacted cars, containers, and whatever other garbage they could find to duck and shoot. I get behind cover with my team and shoot at anything that moved.

"Wildfire, we've reached the LZ," said Cage. "But we're taking fire from all sides! Request fire support on all sides! Danger close!"

 _"_ _Enemy personnel closing on the LZ from multiple sides,"_ said the navigator. _"Danger close. Recommend you stick to the 25 millimeter in the vicinity of the LZ."_

 _"_ _Crew, be advised,"_ said the FCO. _"Friendly helicopters on route to the area. Watch your fire."_

 _"_ _Copy,"_ said the TVO.

The gunship fires its 25-millimeter Gatling gun on the ConDef forces in the junkyard to minimize chances of friendly fire. Spraying heaving bullets on every target sighted. Shooting up every ConDef infantry from around the cars, containers, the downed crane, and even enemies exiting the U-building in the dump too. The junkyard was now lit with fire and smoke from the damage done by our AC-130 just to clean up the mess ConDef is making. Creating a mess to clean up another mess.

 _"_ _Lnyx-Niner to all ground teams evacuating civvies. We're bringing in choppers your way for pick up. Stand by."_

"Lynch, is that you?" Newblood asked. "Where've you been, sweet cheeks?"

 _"_ _Please stop calling me that, Sergeant. Never going to happen."_

"Lynch, I want those choppers spotless when they arrive," said Cage. "I'm sending a flare to pinpoint the LZ."

 _"_ _Roger, Captain. Our birds will be on the lookout. Lynx-Niner out."_

Cage picked up his flare gun and fired a flare into the air to signal Lynch and the other birds. Then that noise was heard again. The same noise we heard at the church not so long ago. The sound of Ares's dragon that was near. Just when ConDef soldiers were enough problems, their deity just can't make it easy on us tonight.

 _"_ _Did you hear that?"_ FCO asked.

 _"_ _Wildfire to ground teams,"_ said Navigator. _"We're picking another UFO on our radar. Can you identify?"_

I turn my head upward and see the creature flying in the moonlight like a giant bat in the sky. The dragon was flying right towards the AC-130 and targeted it as Ares ordered to attack it. I had to warn Wildfire.

"Madsen to Wildfire! The UFO is heading right towards you! Watch out!"

 _"_ _Say again, Madsen!_ " The pilot asked. _"Heading where?!"_

"Get the fuck out of there!"

And before we knew it, the dragon leaped onto the gunship and grasp it with its bare claws. Hanging onto it like a monkey bar.

 _"_ _What the fuck is that thing!"_ An FCO screamed.

 _"_ _Mayday! Mayday!"_ The pilot alerted. _"We're going down! I repeat, we're under attack by the-"_

The dragon breathed fire on the gunship. Right from the cockpit and across the whole interior of the aircraft. Causing it to descend from its altitude as the dragon fled and left the gunship to crash land into flaming metal.

"No!" I hollered.

Once Ares and his dragon had taken off after doing his job, the crashing gunship hit the ground from a distance and explodes into smithereens. Our air support was no more.

"The AC-130 is down!" Cage shouted out loud. "I repeat, our air support is down!"

 _"_ _Lynx-Niner to ground teams. We're approaching the LZ. ETA ten seconds."_

Lynch and the chopper squadron had arrived at our landing. She landed her bird with the other on the far side of the junkyard where there was nothing but open grass to land on. At least four Seahawks were landing the there for picking including Lynch's. A sight for sore eyes at best.

"Impeccable timing, Lynx-Niner," said Cage. "We just lost our air support to that…thing. We're towards the helicopters now. Thanks for the assist. Cage out."

 _"_ _Hehe, this is gonna be one hell of a highlight reel."_

"Yeah, I heard that. HQ, our air support is KIA, but refugees are secure and in our custody. Choppers have arrived for pickup."

 _"_ _Roger that. Good job everyone. Return to base immediately."_

"You don't suppose that flare gave away our position, Captain?" Cayce asked. "Do you?"

"It was either that or Ares and his animal breathe fire on us too," replied Cage. "Let's secure that script, give these refugees a new home, and go home."

* * *

Max

July 21st, 2017

3:29 PM

5 miles from Rome

Rome Airspace

I'm inside the air ducts of the plane. It's utterly hot in here for a place that conditions air. I sit down inside the ducts for a second or two to catch my breath from racing this plane on the runway. I couldn't sit in here forever. One, it was steaming in here. Two, Alex is still on this plane and needs me. Three, Rachel and the others are still on the ground waiting. I shouldn't keep them doing so.

I crawl through the ducts and find a grate to open and exit the small tunnel. Unfortunately, there was someone on top of me who had seen me inside. Not good.

"Oh, shit," I said.

The person who saw me was no average ConDef goon. It was another seven-foot brutish man who tore the grate open and yanked me straight out. Pinning me against the wall of the cargo hold and holding me by my shirt. I hit the man in the cheek a few times until the brute knocked me across the face with his heavy fist. Someone really doesn't like a stowaway. Then the bruiser himself had a nasty idea.

My attacker pulls the lever next to me that opens the ramp of the cargo hold. Right where he could toss me overboard thousands of feet in the air. Not cool, Caulfield. Not cool. I stupidly smack my opponent across the face. Then I reach for my gun, but not before my assailant swipes it from my holster and smacks it across my face. And then tossing the gun away to disarm me and heave me over to the ramp to throw me down to my doom.

"No, no, no!" I panicked. "Let's – let's talk about this!"

The brute throws me onto the ramp like a log and I fumble. Though I'm not quite tossed over the edge, I'm about to as my opponent attempts to finish me. I get on my feet again and the brute seizes me by my shirt again as I as he could. I slap his two cheeks with my two the makes him break his grasp and then I kick him in the chest to start fighting back. I could see trees and farmland down on the nature preserve next door to Rome from up on this ramp.

I punch the brute on his knees across the face as many times as I could until the brute ducks my next throw and I duck back from his throw he swings at me. I swing my fist again at my opponent but is blocked by his fist. The brute swings his leg at me for kick and I dodge it. Then I kick back in his groin, headbutt him, then throw my last few punches at him to knock him down on the ramp. But not out on the ramp. I had an idea to finish the fight.

I walk up the ramp back inside the hold and find a box of cargo with a handle that opens a parachute. The brute got up on the ramp and I could use this cargo to parachute it out and ram it into the big guy. I pull on the handle as hard as I could until parachute is released and cause the cargo to slide down the ramp and bump into the brute himself. Throwing him overboard with the cargo.

"Thanks for flying with us!" I shouted.

Unfortunately for me, I inadvertently managed to release all the cargo with it. From a truck that went down with the box to crates and luggage sliding out of the hold and down the ramp. It just keeps getting better.

"Oh, fuck no," I said. "Oh, no, no, no!"

I trying avoiding the loose cargo until a crate hits me and sends me flying down the ramp. I roll on top of two trucks hooked to one another that are dangling of the ramp. Then grab onto some leather tie downs on the truck carrying crates and dangling off the ramp. Right where I'm about to collapse to my fatal fall. This was beginning to feel like a moment from the Mission: Impossible film series. A scene from Rogue Nation specifically. This was also not a movie either. This was cereal.

This was not the time nor place to panic. I held on as tight as I could for dear life and climbed up the leather ties and see ConDef soldiers shooting at me from the ramp. One of the soldiers lost his grip and fell above the trucks with me. The soldier held onto the ties right above me. I climb next to him, take his gun, and kick him off the dangling truck. Sending him falling to his death like the brute I threw offboard.

"See ya!" I yelled.

With a rifle in my hand, I can now defend myself against the ConDef troops who want me off the plane. I jump toward the other truck dangling off the edge and eventually put my feet back on the ramp. Right before I was able to shoot down the ConDef men with their rifles trained on me, they were already gunned down by my big cousin of mine. Who had already escaped herself with a rifle in her hand.

"Need a hand, little cousin?!" Alex asked.

"Alex, you're alive!" I shouted.

"No thanks to you! What kept your ass?!"

"Minor setbacks."

"Don't look very minor to me."

More ConDef were still shooting at us inside the hold. We took cover behind the crates and defended ourselves with our guns. The crates were sliding left and right in the hold as well as sliding back and forth. We needed to be really cautious about where we duck and cover and shot back at the ConDef at the same time.

"How the hell do we get off this trash heap?!" Alex muttered. "I've had enough of these ConFucks to last a day!"

"There's some parachutes on those crates! We could use those to get off this plane!"

Then something smelled wrong. The smell of something burning came from inside the cargo hold. The stench of gasoline was coming from inside the hold. Someone must have accidentally shot down something flammable on this plane to make it burn. If someone shot the fuel, this plane could explode and crash down in any minute.

"Max, something smells wrong!" Alex warned. Sniffing her nostrils. "Is that burning I smell?!"

Not only could I smell something burning myself, but I could also see fire igniting out of the metal floor. Setting off a fire alarm onboard turning the room into a flashing red light as its emergency lights.

"The plane's on fire, Alex!" I hollered. "She's gonna blow! We have to get off now!"

I could overhear one of the soldiers shouting out "We're losing control!" in the room. Eventually, the turbulence of the fire blows a hull breach through the metal wall. Sending soldiers flying out of the planes to their deaths.

"FUCK!" I screamed.

Then suddenly, another massive hull breach blows away the cockpit of the plane. Causing a vacuum of air to suck Alex and I out with the remaining cargo left onboard. I hang onto something with all my muscles. I grab Alex's hand to keep from flying out. Inevitably, I release ourselves out of the plane and through the hull right into the open air where the vacuum sends us astray five thousand feet in the sky. The of us scream ourselves to death when it happens.

As two of hold hands and fly like Superman and Lois Lane, the cargo plane that was nothing else but burning metal comes crashing land past us. I spot a cargo crate flying in the air without its parachute open. I guide our descent towards the crate and the two of us grab onto the leather ties to hang on. Then I pull the parachute open and we're now gradually descending to the nature preserve. We hear and see the plane hitting the ground with a big boom. Safe at last.

"Oh, thank god," I said. Catching my breath from the action.

* * *

Cayce

July 21st, 2017

4:46 AM

Canyon County, Idaho

Idaho Airspace

I take a breath and a sip of water from my canteen from all the fighting I did today with my commander and team. Lynch was flying the Seahawk we boarded with all of Valor Team and the Marsh family. I lend Kristine my canteen to offer her a sip and she takes it. I was still concerned about keeping her secret from the team. What's worse than being tried for betrayal is being tried for secrecy. Making David and me as good as traitors ourselves. Maybe it isn't too late to make Kristine confess her relationship with the Herd of Whales. Maybe I can inform Admiral Penske about this which would insubordinate my chain of command. But might just be the right thing to do whatever the cost.

"You still got the script we obtained, Commander?" I asked.

"I sure do," replied David. "Right here."

"Your bravery has answered our prayers, Valor Team," said Richard. "We are in your debt indeed."

"If God is love, Father," said Heard. "You can call me Cupid."

"Thanks again for saving us, David," said Kate. "You're now my hero I always wanted you to be."

"You're a great kid, Kate," said David. "You deserve better than how I used to act out on you. I admit it."

"I wouldn't count on pets being allowed on the Oregon, miss," said Cage. "Just to let you know."

"Why did you have to drag Alice with us anyway, Kate?" Richard asked. "You and that rabbit."

"I'll never leave Alice behind not knowing when we'd be back home," said Kate. "Plus, I have to feed her every day and I won't let her starve."

"Unless you can make exceptions for my daughter's pet," said Mary. "That would be wonderful now that she's brought her."

"I've seen someone's dog on the refugee deck," said Logos. "She might be able to take that cute bunny with her."

"Where are you taking us?" The girl named Lynn asked. "I want to go home."

"It's Lynn, right?" Kristine asked. "We're taking you to the USCC Oregon. A Chrysalis freighter of the first fleet. You'll be safe there with us until this war is over."

"It's Kate, correct?" I asked the girl named Kate. "You know I think I've heard of you before. Years back, your incident at Blackwell was on every article I saw. Saying something about another girl saving you from a roof."

"About what I asked earlier, David," said Kate. "Back at the church. That voice we heard. Who was he? He sounded like he knew you. And he knew Max too."

David sighed.

"How about we keep that classified, Kate," he replied. "Maybe we can talk about that onthe Oregon. No exceptions. I don't even want to think about why he said Max's name or what he said about her is true. At least I can't confirm nor deny that…for now."

* * *

Alex

July 21st, 2017

3:43 PM

5 miles from Rome

Riserva Naturale

Max and I walk down the wreckage of the burning plane puffing out smoke from its fire like a chimney. Right after a gentle landing from the parachute cargo. There were shattered crates and totaled trucks scattered around the crash site that had fallen out of the hold. In the middle of the wreckage, we had found the Eon Codex lying around in the grass that I picked up as soon as I found it.

"Well, at least we got our codex back," said Alex.

"But no shard?" Max asked.

"It's with Joanna. So, how did you wound up here as I did? I was pretty sure that got rid of you as soon as they took Frank and me with them."

"Long story short, I got shot with that same dart that dosed Fernando and ended up here. Frank already told me your story."

"Shit, you got dosed with a hallucinogen too? How did that happen?"

"I don't even want to talk about. Let's just take what we have, find the others, and get back to the hotel. I've had enough mayhem with ConDef today."

We hear a moving vehicle approach the wreckage. It was Rachel driving a jeep with Frank and Dad. Must've followed us here to the crash. The three of them get off the 4x4 and are relieved of our safety.

"Max, holy shit!" Rachel shouted. Running after us. "You made it!"

"Alex!" Bryan called. "Thank heavens you're still in one piece!"

"Dad!" I called.

I hug my father and Max hugs Rachel. Frank joins the party too and soon we're all reunited back to the way we were.

"What the fuck happened up there?" Rachel asked Max. "We followed the plane and saw it explode and crash down out of nowhere. We thought the two of you were killed!"

"Sarcastically speaking," said Max. "I was on the wrong flight."

"So, you still have the shard and codex?" Dad asked me.

"Well, I conveniently found the codex lying around here," I said. "The shard, unfortunately, is out of our grasp and with Joan's. And soon, Ares's."

"So now what?" Frank asked. "Mission accomplished? Mission failed?"

"Both," said Max. "Even if Ares does have four shards now, our next stop is going to be in the Mediterranean islands where the Time Shard is. Then Meridian Prime where the Ark of Genesis will be."

"And what about the Space Shard?" Rachel asked. "The one in Lebanon?"

"Why don't we all get back to the hotel and discuss our successes and failures there? My gut says we get the Time Shard first. If everyone's cool."

"Works with me," I said.

 **Note: And so, I wrap up this long action-packed chapter after a long two weeks of college busyness. On the positive side, only one chapter left! On the negative side, I still have the mid-terms that I've been working on this past couple of weeks that's due on Halloween. Nevertheless, I'll be sure to schedule the last chapter of this episode in between. Should be posted by the end of the month or the first few days of November.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	28. Hearts Still Broken

Chapter 28 Hearts Still Broken

Max

July 21st, 2017

5:03 PM

Rome, Italy

Rome Times Hotel

Bryan had driven us back to our Hotel on the jeep. It took the five of us over an hour to drive from the crash site all the way back to the Hotel we were staying at. Uncle Bryan parks the 4x4 on the curb and we all hop on out. Returning to our room through the lobby and up on the elevator. But before we stepped inside, we all needed to discuss what happened, what we've found, what we've learned, and our next move.

"Alright," said Alex. "I think the coast is clear."

"I just texted Kristen," said Rachel. "Said Fernando's gonna make a full recovery sooner than expected."

"Yeah," I said. "Alright."

I pulled out my journal to review what Bryan, Rachel, and I discovered back at the Colosseum. Showing Alex the sketch drawing of the Herd of Whales motto in Latin.

"Sit autem omnis grex dirigendos pedes nostros," I read. "This looks like a simple cipher."

"May the herd guide us all," said Alex. " It's their damn motto. All the herd references. I can't believe we missed it."

"It's a great thing the two of you made it out okay," said Bryan.

"Way better than okay. We found Meridian Prime."

Alex laughed.

"Mer – Meridian what?" Frank asked.

"Meridian Prime," I said. "Seems Ezra discovered Arthur's holy island and founded the legendary herd colony there."

"It's more of a herd utopia really," said Alex.

"Okay," said Frank. "But what about the shards?"

"See, as the story goes, this place provided a safe haven for hundreds maybe even thousands of herd descendants. Even used as refugee base when World War I broke out. And they shared everything. Property, resources-"

"Money?"

"And they kept it all one common herd building."

"Okay," said Rachel. "So, where is this…commie herd sanctuary?"

"Right here," I said.

I pointed the place out on the map we had that would be our next stop and showed it to everyone when we entered the lobby.

"That island," I pointed. "Just southeast of Rome."

We all exit the lobby and take the discussion in the elevator.

"And Joanna has a copy of this," said Rachel.

"Yeah," I said. "Well, by the time Joanna figures it out, we'll be well on our way to Meridian Prime."

We take the elevator up the floor of our room, get out, walk down the hall, and enter our room with the room key in my fingers. Upon entry, an uninvited guest had already arrived in time to discover the truth I've hidden from her for two weeks. My feet are frozen. My guts are tickling. My heart is racing. My face is paling. And everyone else freezes behind me too.

"Those shards and that ark is as good ours – shit," I said entering the room and hearing the door close behind me.

And there she is. Snooping at all our gear, maps, books, journals, weapons, and everything else we left behind lying around the room's desks and beds.

"How's the Vancouver job going, Max?" Chloe asked. "Seems like you're a hair off course."

And you've just won the Dumbest-Decision-Of-Your-Life of the Year award Max. Encore, Caulfield. Encore. Now you've done it. Now there's finally hell to pay for the lies you've told her all this time. No sign of my parents to scold me about this, though. Every sign of your girlfriend ready to spank you across the cheek for whatever bullshit excuse is the meaning of this.

"Chloe," I said. "Its…its not what it looks like."

"Really," hummed Chloe. "Because what it looks like is that your searching for King Arthur's Ark of Genesis. And the Eternity Shards that balance the universe. Using Ezra Prescott notes of his travels. And given the circumstances of the ConDef soldiers all over the city, I'd bet your not the only ones looking for them. So you're gonna have to be a better liar than that if you think you can outsmart me again."

"Alright, well, I…I guess its kinda what it looks like. But – but I can explain. Look, its gonna sound crazy."

"Try me."

"Well, for starters, um…this is Alex. Alex Caulfield. My cousin."

"Hi," said Alex.

"And this my uncle," I said. "Brian. Bryan Caulfield."

"Evening," said Bryan.

"I don't know if you recall," I said. "But we have shared paths with the two of them before. Back during that camping trip to the Tillamook we had when we were kids. Back when your dad was alive."

Chloe's face looked like it was about to meltdown. She then caught sight of Rachel and Frank standing behind me. With apologetic frowns. Now Chloe's learned they were in on this too.

"I'm sorry," said Rachel.

"I – I thought Alex had died back in Seattle," I continued. "Before I moved back to Arcadia Bay."

"I need to-" Chloe spoke before I cut her. Stepping back to the desk.

"But I was obviously very wrong. She's been trying to find me for five years and its because of me. And now we're helping Chrysalis with their war efforts by finding those shards and that ark to turn the tide around. But that's the good news. We found them. Or at least knew where they were before and now we just have to get to the ark. It's on an island just off the coast."

"Okay," said Chloe. "Just stop. Was there…ever…a Vancouver job?"

"I-"

I don't even know what to say anymore to Chloe. My words have run dry. And now the former punk herself is about to water her ears out. All because of me. And this is where Chloe marches away from me and towards the door of my room. With a tear ready to roll down.

"Okay," she hissed.

"C'mon," I said. "C'mon, wait. Chloe, wait!"

"None of you fucking learn, do you?"

"Look, I wanted to tell you-"

"Shut the fuck up, Max!"

"No, I wanted to! Just don't say that!"

"Don't say what, Max?! Haven't we been through enough in our lives to let shit like this happen? Have we?"

"The question is how do I tell you about this shit that has already happened?"

"I don't know, Max? Maybe just say it?!"

"I had to protect you!"

"That's a fucking lie, Max! As usual, no one including yourself has the audacity to keep me from being let down. Again. This is getting so old with all of you."

"I knew you would react like this."

Chloe opened her jaw, raised her brows, and gasped.

"Do you know how much I get tired of people saying that to me?! You lied to me! For weeks! If you were killed, I – I wouldn't have even known about it! And now you have a cousin. And an uncle."

Chloe's eyes are now puffed and soaked with tears. I know now that she's been more hurt than she's ever been in. Thanks to me.

"Who are you?" She whispered. "What are you? I'm not even sure if I know you anymore."

"Come on," I said. "I'm me. C'mon, it's me. You of all people should note that I've been a complicated person since Arcadia Bay. And I still am. But it's different this time. More different than it's ever been."

"Oh, my god."

"I'm Chrysalis's only hope to winning this war. I don't even care about the shards. Nor the ark. Just that I help everyone the way I did back during Triple 4."

"The look on your face when you walked into this room, I knew you hadn't changed since Triple 4. If you're done lying to me, then you should stop lying to yourself. I got a plane to catch. You do what you have to do. And good luck explaining this to your parents when they know too."

Chloe steps out of the room and leaves me to do my thing. I cover my eyes with a sigh of shame. Then I walk to the desk with our stuff to get back to work. Now I still have my parents to confess to. Maybe Chloe will confess for me.

"Hey," said Rachel. "Hey, what are you doing? Go after her."

"We're not done here," I said.

"Well, maybe we should be. I tried to tell you, Max. You knew this would happen. You knew she was gonna find out one way or another and look where the two of you are at now."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying maybe there's a smarter way to help with this war."

"Such as?"

"Such as we give Chrysalis intel on what ConDef is really doing for their cause of this war. I still have contacts in Chrysalis and we can-"

"Chrysalis doesn't even know that half of what ConDef really wants. We haven't even done the half of what we're supposed to do and you want Chrysalis to hold our hands now?"

"Okay, fine. You go after your girlfriend. Alex, Frank, Bryan, and I will head off for Meridian Prime."

"Without me? Come on, you'll get all of you killed."

"Really? Max, I've had more experience with this kind of thing more than you've had. I think I might be able to handle-"

"Hey, you want to be helpful, Rachel? Go keep on eye your ex-girlfriend. If not my ex-girlfriend."

Rachel didn't say anything else. I go through more of our stuff to keep my attention fixed on our next move. Then Rachel decided to respect my wishes and leave with Frank.

"Whatever you say," replied Rachel. "Come on, Frank. We got an old reprobate to look after."

Frank shook his and walked with his girlfriend. The two of them leave the room, shut the door on the way out, and knock themselves out to check up on Chloe. Bryan felt bad for making his niece go through this and wanted to make up for it in any way possible.

"I really don't think you girls should do this on your own," said Bryan. "Its best we stick together on this."

"If you'd like to make up for making me and Chloe go through this," I said. "Maybe you should give her a ride home. On the plane."

"Exactly how are you going to get to Meridian Prime without the plane? It's too dangerous for you and Alex to be traveling out there alone."

"We'll take a boat to the island. And I'll be one-hundred and ten percent sure not to get Alex killed, Uncle Bryan. The two of us just survived worse."

Before Bryan left the room, I paused him for a discussion he still yet owed me.

"By the way," I said. "You still owe me that discussion about our descendence to the Herd of Whales."

Bryan glanced at me in silence. And before we walked out, this was his answer.

"The next time we see ourselves eye to eye," he begins. "I will tell you every last detail. That is my final word. Be careful out there, Max. Same goes for Alex. I will be sure you friend Chloe is returned home."

As soon as Bryan leaves, it's just me and Alex who are left in the room. Surely, Alex must feel like shit blaming herself for dragging me down here, but I couldn't blame her. It was a terrible choice I made keeping this from Chloe and have to live with the consequences for it. I knew this was all coming and now I have to prepare my confession for Mom and Dad when the time was right.

"Need a hand with anything?" Alex asked.

"I got it," I replied. "Just pack your bags. We leave first thing in the morning."

Alex walks out of the room through the patio door and decides to take a smoke out there. I stay indoors and glace over the map pinned on the wall. With my relationship I may have just torn for this, I could think less about our next task and more about hearts still broken.

I'm Max Caulfield and tomorrow I set sail for Meridian Prime and help my world win this war. As both time traveler and time warrior. That indeed.

 **Unsteady – X Ambassadors**

Back on the Oregon, David was in the men's locker room and took the photo of him, Joyce, and Chloe in it that was stashed in his locker. The one that was taken years ago in the backyard of his old home in Arcadia Bay. Thinking about his wife on the refugee deck and his step-daughter back in Portland. Unaware of Chloe's whereabouts in Rome looking for Max. Almost aware of Max's possible involvement in the war.

David had sat down by his locker staring at the picture and thinking about the terrible revelation of his Lieutenant he had learned today. Hoping he wouldn't regret his decision to keep it from Valor team and Admiral Penske. Cayce was in the locker room with David searching through his locker too. As well as thinking about his CO's decision to hide Kristine's truth and still resenting upon it.

Kristine was in the women's locker room ready to hit the showers. But as soon as she was taking her gear, clothes, and bikini off, she stopped and noticed her Herd of Whales mark exposed on her arm. Glancing at it in the mirror. Fearing for her privacy and secrecy to be hidden in a cleverer manner. She had considered covering it with makeup if she had any. Before anyone else discovered it. Valor Team and Admiral Penske especially.

* * *

Joyce, the Amber couple, and Caulfield couple were in their triage tent socializing with one another. James received a text on his phone from his daughter that read:

 **Rachel: I'm coming to the Oregon with Frank. See you there.**

Ryan received a text message on his phone from Chloe that read:

 **Chloe: Max lied about the job.**

 **Chloe: She's helping Chrysalis with the war.**

 **Chloe: And she's got a cousin and uncle.**

Ryan was shocked and lit with a pale face at the message he received. Even more shocked to see the words cousin and uncle on the third text box. His niece had had thought to be long dead since and his brother he had not seen in ages. Ryan showed the text to his wife Vanessa to break it to her as well.

As the Marsh family were lined up in the security terminals for refugee checks, Kate turned her head towards old and familiar friends of hers she used to know at Blackwell academy who were already stationed in the sanctuary and socializing with each other. Warren, Brooke, Steph, and not to mention Victoria and her Vortex gang all banded together. Warren was the first to catch sight of Kate in line with her family. Warren made sure all eyes were on Kate and they all smiled and waved at her to welcome her. Hoping she would join them. Kate put her smile on and returned the wave. Surprised to see some old faces roll out her red carpet.

* * *

Captain Cage sat in the Mess Hall with Lieutenant Major Heard for a drink after a long night in Canyon County. The two of them sat at a bar counter to drink for a date. Since Cage's loss of his family to the storm in Arcadia Bay, he had been dating Heard every once in a while. When the opportunity was right. A romantic relationship that made Cage cope with his loss easier over the years. The soldier couple smiled face to face, had a toast for the mission, and drank up their shots liquor.

* * *

Admiral Penske stood outside on the flight deck of his aircraft carrier. Gazing at the sun rising above the edge of the world that was the Pacific Ocean. Dean Nelson from the MIT approached her old High School friend turned Admiral outside to join him. The two gave each other smiles and Nelson leaned against Penske's arm for comfort. As Penske took his hat off and enjoyed the heart-warming moment with Nelson together.

* * *

Back in Rome, Chloe sat down near a bench at the Rome Ciampino Airport where Bryan's plane was allowed to dock. Covering her face and breaking down in tears about the awful truth Max had hidden from her for the past two weeks since she left Portland. Rachel sat down next to her for comfort. Chloe rejected her and snapped at her with a menacing face. Feeling betrayed for the last time by Rachel who had been covering for Max the whole time. Frank and Bryan stepped in to see them butting heads. Feeling sorrowful for the two of them.

* * *

Fernando was lying down in his hospital bed at the Rome American Hospital. Where his leg was wrapped around in a cast and hooked upward. And where his girlfriend Kristen sat in his room next to his hospital bed. Comforting him and supporting him till he was recovered enough to exit the hospital. Kristen had informed Fernando that Rachel and the others were prepared to leave Rome with a new companion by the name of Chloe. And that Max and Alex will be on their own to help with the war efforts from here forward.

* * *

General Alkaline sent in a search party towards the cargo plane's crash site. Alkaline himself with the party investigated the crash with flashlights and weapons at their disposal. Scanning the area through fires, dumped cargo, and totaled vehicles. Upon the search, Alkaline and his men could only find two survivors they dragged out of a totaled truck. Which her his two closest Lieutenants. Tie and Beluga.

* * *

At the Colosseum, as soon as the tours were closed for the damage done, Joanna snuck in and stepped inside the bell tower. Seeing the fallen bell that had collapsed right on top of the secret stairwell. She turned her head upward to where the bell had collapsed from. Frustrated that her adversaries had gotten away with the Eon Codex. But not with the Reality Shard.

* * *

Ares was now glancing down towards the city of Rome with his dragon. Upon a hillside where he could overlook the entire city itself. He stared down at his Eternity Gauntlet. Pleased to see the Reality Shard now in its slot. Four down, two to go. Then he could balance the universe in half. And then Ares's dragon let out an enormous roar over the hillside where the people of Rome could hear Ares. And the world as we know it could fear Ares.

The Eternity War was far from over. But today, Ares is closer to winning. And only the traveler herself Max Caulfield could stop that.

* * *

 **End of Episode 3!**

 **Note: Will Max and Alex stop Ares from achieving his goal? Will David and Cayce win through their struggle against ConDef? Tune in next time for Episode 4: Paradise Lost to find out!**

 **Well, guys, it's been a long five months writing the hell out of this long episode and I hope it was worth the patience. With college now in the way of things, my schedule with writing will no longer be as frequent. As explained before from the beginning of my Junior year in art school. But with mid-terms out of the way, let's just hope for the best.**

 **Before I dive into episode 4 of Eternity War, I still have some other loose ends to tie with the final episode of The Lost Daughter mini-series for those following me. Be sure to tune into that episode as I will begin writing The Lost Daughter's finale that's been long overdue since. And even though it's become the weakest story of my fiction, it'll be a stronger episode than the last. I make no promises. Only obligations.**

 **Until next time readers, stay tuned and golden! Piece! ;)**

 **P.S. Wanted "Youth" by Daughter for the ending song, but chose a different good song by X Ambassadors instead. And I actually used that song for the ending to episode 1 of After the Storm and it was also used for the ending song to episode 2 of Before the Storm. Guess you can't use the same song three times? Oh, well.**

 **Life Is Strange: Eternity War**

 **Episode 3: The Great Journey**

 **Voice Cast**

 **Max Caulfield… …Hannah Telle**

 **Alex Caulfield… …Fryda Wolff**

 **Chloe Price… …Ashly Burch**

 **Rachel Amber… …Erin Yvette**

 **David Madsen… …Don McManus**

 **Cayce Foley… …Christopher Emerson**

 **Kristine Prescott… …Laura Bailey**

 **Joyce Price… …Cissy Jones**

 **Frank Bowers… …Daniel Bonjour**

 **Fernando Rojas… …Freddy Prinze, Jr.**

 **Kristen West… …Kelley Crowder**

 **Bryan Caulfield… …Brandon Keener**

 **Ryan Caulfield… …Adam Harrington**

 **Vanessa Caulfield… …Misty Lee**

 **Warren Graham… …Carlos Luna**

 **Victoria Chase… …Dani Knights**

 **Kate Marsh… …Dayeanne Hutton**

 **Steph Gingrich… …Katy Bentz**

 **Freddy Mayne… …Daniel Kendrick**

 **Gus Anthony... ...Bryce Papenbrook**

 **Cpt. Clayton Cage… …Chris Fries**

 **Lt. Jeb Mason… …Charles Parnell**

 **Sgt. Andrew Newblood… …Nick Boulton**

 **Sgt. Carlos Logos… …Alex Hernandez**

 **Lt. Maj. Cheryl Heard… …Cindy Robinson**

 **Lt. Amanda Lynch… …Emily O'Brien**

 **Pvt. Flint Wheeler… …Jeff Schine**

 **James Amber… …Patrick Finnerty**

 **Rose Amber… …Kelly Handcock**

 **Dean Suzy Nelson… …Lori Holt**

 **Dr. Ethan Brainer... ...Joe Ochman**

 **Richard Marsh… …Robert Clotworthy**

 **Mary Marsh… …Rebecca Schweitzer**

 **Lynn Marsh… …Louisa Mackintosh**

 **Laura Marsh… …Brett Pels**

 **Tie… …Gideon Emery**

 **Elias Alkaline… …Simon Templeman**

 **Adm. Gavin Penske… …Ron Perlman**

 **Joanna Prescott… …Jennifer Hale**

 **Atropos… …Marina Sirtis**

 **Clotho… …Shohreh Aghdashloo**

 **Ares… …Neil Kaplan**

 **Written and Edited by**

 **WickDaLine**

 **Based on the characters by**

 **Christian Divine**

 **Zak Gariss**

 **Music by**

 **Henry Jackman**

 **Jonathan Morali**

 **Daughter**

 **Soundtrack**

 **Birch Tree – Foals**

 **Unsteady – X Ambassadors**

 **Special Thanks**

 **Dontnod**

 **Deck Nine**

 **Square Enix**

 **Christian Devine**

 **Zak Gariss**

 **Michel Koch**

 **Luc Baghadoust**

 **Raoul Barbet**

 **Chris Floyd**

 **Hannah Telle**

 **Ashly Burch**

 **Jonathan Morali**

 **Daughter**

 **tur1823**

 **Xemtlenc**

 **Stargazing Writer**

 **and you!**

 **Disclaimer**

 **I do not own anything! This is a fan-written work of fiction and non-profitable. All rights belong to Dontnod, Deck Nine, and Square Enix. Thank you.**

Next time on Life Is Strange: Eternity War…

Max and Alex drive their boat in the middle of a thunderstorm. Floating over huge waves of water picked up by the storm while ConDef boats were in pursuit of them.

David smokes a cigarette while sitting down in the trunk of a truck. Carrying his team and a bunch of resistance fighters who were fighting the war against ConDef in Beirut, Lebanon. As the truck was driving them all to the resistance base.


End file.
